How Haymitch Met Effie
by BootstrapBoula
Summary: The young mentor Effie falls in love with is smart, confident, hard-working, and full of hope. But as more and more of their tributes die, Haymitch loses himself in grief and alcohol. But they're in far too deep to survive without each other now, so he'll always fight to keep her, and she'll always forgive him. Always. - Effie's POV, mostly. From the 56th Games to post-Mockingjay
1. The 56th Hunger Games

**AN: **I just finished reading the books, and I immediately started reading fan fiction when I was done. Since then, I haven't been able to get this scenario out of my head. So, I finally wrote it down. Hopefully I'll actually finish this story...I have a bad habit of never finishing, even though I work it all out in my head :P

Rated M for graphic violence in later chapters. There's nothing too sexual though, only implications and above the waist stuff.

I don't own the characters, they're Suzanne Collins', etc.

* * *

**The 56th Hunger Games**

It was Effie Trinket's first year as a Capitol escort. True, District 12 had been the only spot available, and she would never have freely chosen it, but Effie had actually grown a little fond of the small, unpopular district. She was always one to make the best of a bad situation. At the age of 25, it was quite rare to attain such a prestigious position in the first place. Surely, her family's elite status had helped her out, but Effie liked to think it was her submission tape that set her apart from the other candidates. Along with attending multiple interviews, each escort hopeful had to prepare a short video about the district, something that would show its strengths and make a Capitol citizen at least mildly consider going there.

Even though Effie had been spoiled for most of her life, the reason she got what she wanted 99% of the time was because she was passionate, stubborn, a hard worker, a perfectionist, and above all, organized. After going through hours and hours of film, mostly focusing on the two former victors, she produced a video that made even herself excited to visit District 12.

But when she finally got there to select the tributes for the 56th Hunger Games, she realized just how much the Capitol's camera crews had disguised the coal miner's troubles. The sad gray buildings and starving faces were almost too much for her to bear as she walked through the streets toward the Victor's Village.

One of the biggest surprises about District 12 was the state in which she found Haymitch Abernathy. She would be embarrassed to admit it even to her closest friends, but she had had a little crush on him ever since his Games. Maybe it was because Effie, for some reason, always rooted for the underdog. Not publicly of course. Publicly she supported, and even bet on, the favourite to win. But secretly, she always had a little ray of hope that an unpopular tribute would be crowned victor. When she was 5 years old, she had been ecstatic that the nerdy little boy from District 3 won by outsmarting the strong Careers, but her parents got mad at her because they lost a lot of money on their bet, so since then she's kept those feelings mostly to herself.

She would be embarrassed to admit that since editing the footage of Haymitch's Games, her little crush had grown slightly more intense. The first time they met she even blushed a little, not that he noticed it under her heavy make-up. She found him at this house, to escort him to the Reaping, and was pleased to find the 22 year old was just as handsome as ever, although his hair was longer and wavier. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and she couldn't help but notice that his muscles hadn't lost any of the tone they'd had in his Games. And he still looked remarkably strong. But as soon as he started to talk she realized he was hung over, or probably still drunk, and her hopes of helping District 12 win plummeted.

"So, you're the new escort?" he slurred after she introduced herself. "What kind of a name is _Effie_ anyway? Effie. Effie. Eff. Eff you!" He gave her a goofy smile and leaned on his door frame.

Effie cleared her throat and had to stop herself from glaring at him. "Yes well, what kind of a name is Haymitch?" she said, trying to contain her anger. "Is it short for Haymitchell?"

Haymitch laughed loudly and slapped her on the arm (harder than he had intended because she almost fell over). As he walked inside to get cleaned up he looked back at her.

"I think I'm going to like you, Eff."

The former escort for 12 had warned her about Haymitch's almost constant drinking. But, she'd also said that he usually toned it down during the Games, to help his tributes. Effie hoped he would sober up soon, especially since the older victor had died this past year, so Haymitch was the only mentor the tributes would have.

Luckily, Effie managed to escort Haymitch safely up to the Justice Building, but as the ceremony began, she once again saw just how much the Capitol had managed to gloss over.

When she saw the sad, pale faces of the children, how skinny they were, and how they couldn't possibly stand a chance against the strong fighters from the Career Tribute's forces, she momentarily questioned the morality of the Games.

But, Effie had never been one for politics. Besides, she reasoned as she stepped up to the podium to say her little speech, the districts had all agreed to this, right? This was the best solution, to save the greatest number of people, right? With this reassuring little lie in mind, she stepped up to the podium with a bright smile.

"H-Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ever_ in your favour!"

* * *

She was relieved to notice a change in Haymitch as soon as he stepped on the train. Suddenly, he was encouraging their tributes, asking them about their strengths, and giving them tips on how to survive. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief and relaxed a bit. They were the underdogs, but maybe she and Haymitch had a chance of producing a victor.

Over the next week in the Capitol, they worked their butts off to help the kids recognize their talents, and more importantly, they tried to get sponsors. She was surprised to find that the drunk victor she had met not too long ago turned out to be almost as hard working as she was. But none of it mattered.

It didn't matter, because as soon as Claudius Templesmith opened the Games, and the gong finally stopped ringing, all hell broke loose. The girl, Poppy, was the first to die. She ran off her platform, away from the Cornucopia, just as Haymitch had instructed. But there were so many tributes it was impossible to avoid running into someone.

Effie sat frozen on the couch in the Training Centre, watching the blood pool quickly around Poppy's head. Until this moment, she had never registered just how how much blood there was in the Games. Sure, you see it every year, especially at the bloodbath, but Effie had never watched too carefully, she supposed. She always watched the games with friends, or family, and everyone was distracted enough not to notice the real pain, and all that blood…

Were the people of the Capitol really that blind? That stupid? Had she really been one of them only a week ago? Effie had loved the Games her whole life, but had she ever seen the tributes as people? As children? No, they brainwashed you into ignoring it, into ignoring the fact that real humans, with thoughts and dreams, were dying.

People were groaning around her. The stylists and prep teams were talking quickly in their stupid shrill voices, saying that Brynn still had a chance. He was a faster runner than the girl. Effie didn't even realize that Haymitch rose beside her until he flopped back down and put a cold glass in her hand. She brought it to her lips without caring what it was, and cringed as the large amount of vodka and small amount of orange juice burned down her throat. She almost smiled at Haymitch's failed attempt at a mixed drink, but at this point she wasn't sure if she would ever smile again.

"Too strong for you, Princess?" Haymitch asked, not unkindly. Effie silently shook her head and took another sip. He had been watching her ever since Poppy got hit. Seeing her reaction convinced him that the ditsy Capitol girl he met just last week was dead, or at least dying.

It turned out Brynn wasn't fast enough after all, because within the next few minutes, he was dead too. Shot in the back with an arrow by a tribute who had managed to escape the bloodbath.

So that was it, both the kids were dead. The stylists and prep teams left quickly, off to some party. Haymitch patted Effie lightly on the knee and got up again, but Effie couldn't move. She was barely registering what happened on screen, her heart was breaking with the deaths of her tributes. She had tried her damn hardest, and she knew Haymitch had too, but those kids still died. They didn't even have a chance. She now understood just a little bit why he couldn't live with himself and turned to alcohol for the rest of the year. She allowed tears to silently roll down her cheeks, and she made no attempt to wipe them off.

It was hours before Effie finally turned away from the screen. She didn't know it, but she was subconsciously waiting for the final confirmation that her tributes were dead. Around midnight, she saw the faces projected across the night sky. Both from 5, one from 6, one from 7, both from 8, both from 9, and then finally, Poppy's beaming face, with her short blonde curls, and Brynn, only 13, with messy black hair and a shy smile.

Effie stumbled from her seat, not sure exactly where she would go or what she would do. She felt someone watching her, and looked across the giant room to see Haymitch gazing at her. He was sitting at the dining room table, slightly hunched, with a glass in his hand and two bottles of whiskey beside him, one empty and one about half full. She walked over to him, realizing about halfway there that this was no time to be walking in heals, so she kicked them off and lost about 2 inches off her height.

Effie poured some more vodka and orange juice into her emptied glass (a more reasonable ratio this time) and sat down beside Haymitch. She suddenly felt angry, seeing him there like that, numbing his pain with alcohol. But she wasn't angry at him, she was angry at the image of him. Not only did the Capitol kill 23 children every year, but the ones who survived were left to…to this. Depressed, guilt-ridden, broken, and unable to live with themselves. She didn't know why, but she suddenly took all this anger out of the only person she knew would understand.

"So _this_ is what you do every year?" She yelled louder than she meant to, and Haymitch cringed. "Sober up, help them, then as soon as they're dead you get drunk again?"

Haymitch gave a derisive laugh. "Yeah, you should try it."

Effie glared at him and downed her drink. Haymitch laughed as she got up to make another, stronger this time.

She lost count of how many drinks she had, but for the next few hours she and Haymitch had _almost_ a good time, considering. They drank and shared far more information about each other than an escort and mentor probably should. This was when Effie found out far more about the life of a victor than she'd ever known. How some are prostituted off by the president. How Haymitch's reward was having his family killed...

Neither of them remembered how, but at 4:00 AM, they ended up drunkenly dancing around the living room, which in their state mostly consisted of spinning, banging into furniture, and sometimes falling over. When a particularly romantic song came on, from the music player Effie didn't remember turning on, Haymitch pulled her in close, one hand resting on her waist, the other putting down his glass to hold her hand. She rested her face against his hard chest. They swayed together for a few minutes before Haymitch spoke.

"You know, you're not so bad, Effie Trinket…for an escort."

Effie laughed, "You're not so bad either, Haymitch Abernathy…" she looked up, trying to think of something witty to add, when she noticed how he was looking at her. She expected him to look drunk and hazy, or maybe teasing, but he was looking at her with concentration. It was the same look he had when he was talking to the kids about strategies and training. As if he was trying to figure something out, maybe figure _her_ out.

But there was something else in that look too. A sort of…longing. Hunger, even. Yes! As soon as she thought it she realized that's what it was. It was the same look she saw on Poppy's and Brynn's faces when they stared at the food on the train, before she cheerfully told them they could have as much as they liked. This was how Haymitch was staring at her now.

She had been with her fair share of men, but none of them had ever looked at her this way before. She wasn't sure if a Capitol man was even capable of this sort of longing. In the Capitol, if you wanted something, you got it. That's the way Effie herself had been raised. If she wanted something, 9 times out of 10 she got it. The problem was, she didn't know what she wanted from Haymitch…and the look in his eyes was starting to make her a little nervous, even though she didn't want him to look away.

"What?" she managed to say, teasingly.

"Nothing," Haymitch quickly looked away and started to step back.

"No, wait!" Effie exclaimed and turned his chin back to face her, perhaps a little too roughly because he let out a small whimper. Effie lowered her hand and rested it on his neck, and placed her other hand on his shoulder. She knew what she wanted now.

Effie stood on tiptoe and just barely touched his lips with her own. He quickly closed the gap, and bent his head low to engulf her lips in a much more passionate kiss than she had intended. Not that she minded. She kissed back with just as much, if not more, fervour. For a few minutes, Haymitch's hands roamed all over her body, resting for a while on her round buttocks and squeezing her into him. Effie squealed happily and he laughed, the sound muffled by their lips.

Still holding her tightly, his right hand roamed back up her body, ready to nestle in her hair. But when he found the wig there he growled in annoyance and yanked it back, hard.

Effie screamed and pushed him back roughly, holding the back of her head in pain.

"What the hell, Haymitch!?" she fumed.

"Take it off!" he shouted, oblivious to her pain, obviously not knowing how securely that thing was kept on. "All of it!" he yelled even louder and gestured to her outfit. "It's like making out with a clown!"

A few tears escaped her. She just stood there, not knowing what to do. Her first instinct was to run from him, from the pain he had just caused her, and never let him touch her again. But, another much bigger part of her wanted to keep kissing him. They stood glaring at each other for a few more seconds until she realized that whatever she decided to do, it would involve going to her room, whether to hide from him forever or clean off her make up and return. So she turned angrily and started marching to her bedroom, unconsciously straightening the wig as she went. Haymitch gave a small snort of laughter and she realized he was following her. He still wanted her, she realized, he was still longing for her. That's what made her decide to clean off her make-up and return to their kiss…well maybe.

When she reached her room she stepped inside quickly and slammed the door hard behind her, not even looking back at Haymitch. She was still angry with him, after all. But she hoped he would still be waiting for her. She sat at her vanity and started to take the pins out of her wig. The back of her neck was a little pink from were Haymitch had tugged at it. As she worked, she was surprised to see most of her make-up was still reasonably intact, despite all the drunken crying and kissing she'd done tonight. The Effie from a week ago would have been impressed, but tonight she was surprised to find that she wanted it off more than Haymitch did. She wanted to take off the mask she would now have to wear every year until she gets too old to be a proper escort. It's not that escorts can't resign early, but it was uncommon and always raised questions. Besides, if she really thought about it logically, she was probably the best person for the job. She doubted any other Capitol snob would care as much about a couple of kids from District 12...or be able to handle Haymitch as well.

Once her wig was off she stripped off her fancy suit and stepped into the shower, managing to remove all the make-up a bit faster than usual. The power-dryer dried her strawberry blonde locks in just a few minutes. They were always slightly unruly when left untreated, but when she looked at her naked form in the mirror, she realized this was what most man in Panem consider beauty. This was what Haymitch wanted.

When she returned to her room, she remembered she didn't have many clothes that wouldn't make her look ridiculous in his eyes. She wildly considered going to Poppy's room to find something modest, but that thought was quickly pushed away by grief. She looked through the closet, almost settling on a relatively simple zebra print skirt and black corset, when she realized just how tired her body was of wearing any sort of clothing. Besides, Haymitch would probably find a way to insult anything designed by the Capitol.

In resignation, Effie grabbed the white terrycloth robe embroidered with a "12" from the back of her bathroom door, and put it on. As she looked in the mirror, she realized this would not do at all. There was boring, but this was far too boring. She took the fluffy terrycloth off and replaced it with her own bathrobe, a short light purple silk, with fluffy yellow trim. It was probably the most conservative clothing Effie owned, and it would have to do. She put on the matching fluffy yellow slippers, took a deep breath, and opened the door to look for Haymitch, who she hoped was still awake.

To her surprise, she found him slumped against the wall across from her room. At the sound of the door opening he jerked awake, more alert than she expected him to be. But then, she supposed he had had about an hour to sleep as she had been getting ready. "Effie?" his voice gave away his fatigue as he got up slowly.

She smiled her winning smile, tossed her hair back, and playfully struck a pose.

"What, you don't recognize me, sweetheart?" she giggled as she spun once, remembered how short her robe was and stopped, flattening it out around her.

"Effie," Haymitch almost moaned as he stepped toward her. His expression made her smile falter, as she saw the concentration in his eyes. He was trying to figure her out again. "Effie," he repeated as he reached out and gently touched her cheek with the back of his fingers. "You're beautiful," he stated, in awe.

"Thanks," she said shakily and blushed. Somehow it meant more coming from him than it had from any other man.

He continued to gently stroke her cheek, still in awe at finally seeing her without her Capitol mask, when she said bravely.

"You know, it really h-hurt when you pulled my wig back," she released a mental sigh of relief; this had been nagging at her since it happened. She refused to believe he would be that cruel.

Haymitch was taken aback. His hand dropped from her face, breaking the physical contact between them. "Did it?" he looked guilty. "I'm sorry, I was just trying to take it off. I didn't realize it was on there so tight…considering how often it gets lopsided." He quipped, and nudged her teasingly.

Effie gasped. "It does not!" she exclaimed, knowing it did. She still wasn't quite used to those top-heavy wigs, but she had hoped nobody else would noticed.

"Nah, it does," Haymitch replied. "But don't worry, I probably spend more time looking at you than most people do," he added as he took her hand and kissed it. Effie giggled as Haymitch spun her around, his eyes focused on the hem of her bathrobe. "So, what exactly are you wearing under there? You know, when I told you to take it all off, I didn't think you'd take it so literally."

Effie shrugged playfully and started to turn back toward her doorway, "I can go put more clothes on if - "

"No," Haymitch growled and pulled her back towards him. Her feet got tangled and she tripped over her giant slippers, falling against his chest. "Sorry," he murmured, as he brushed some of the hair off her face. She started to say that it was okay, but he interrupted her with a gentle kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and reached up on her tiptoes, kissing him back passionately. He mumbled something into her mouth and she broke away for a second.

"What?" she asked, out of breath.

"You're short," he smirked as he looked down at her, remembering the woman in high heals whose wigs towered over his head.

"Shut up," she said and kissed him again, harder this time. She lightly bit his lower lip and moved her pelvis into his. He moaned into her mouth, and stepped forward, backing them up towards Effie's bedroom. Slowly, Effie began to back up further and further, Haymitch eagerly following. He slammed her bedroom door behind him as they passed through it, and she released his neck to started to unbutton his shirt. As she did, she realized her bathrobe was completely disheveled, revealing one of her perky breasts. She started to cover herself up when Haymitch stopped her, lightly holding her wrist.

"This is hardly the time for modesty, Princess," he said seductively and lightly kissed her nipple. She gasped in surprise and her hand flew to his head, entwining her fingers in his soft wavy hair. At her enthusiasm he began to kiss her soft breast, around her nipple, taking playful licks at it until she moaned his name in frustration and he finally enveloped it in his lips and sucks gently. He could hear her heart racing and knew his own must be just as bad. She moaned again and began to back up, leading them to the bed. He released her nipple and let her guide him, his hand still enclosed around her wrist. When they reached the bed he released his grasp on her as she sat down on the edge, leaning back and crossing her legs seductively. Effie smirked up at him, her hair was a mess, and the robe now revealed both of her breasts.

As Haymitch looked at her, he suddenly found himself nervous. Well, if he were being quite honest with himself, he had been nervous since they had first started slow dancing in the living room. He hadn't felt this way about a girl since he was 16, and look where she ended up. He hadn't had any sort of close contact with a woman since then. For all his bravado and charm, now that he was faced with the prospect of doing more than just kissing Effie Trinket, he felt like a boy again. The fact that Effie seemed to know exactly what she was doing made things even worse. Compared to her he _was_ a boy. He just hoped his nerves wouldn't show on his face. But they did.

"What's wrong?" Effie leaned forward, pouting slightly. Had she been wrong? Did he not want this? Had he been too drunk to think straight and now that they'd come this far he'd realized she was just a stupid Capitol bimbo and he didn't want anything to do with her? She self-consciously tightened her robe around her. Haymitch frowned slightly at this.

"Nothing," he moved forward to kiss her again, hoping it would all come naturally, but she stopped him.

"No really. If you don't really want to I'd rather not," she averted her gaze, afraid she might start to cry.

Haymitch laughed far too loudly, "Haha, trust me, Eff, I want to." He thought for a second. "Do you?"

"Yes, of course," she snapped. "I don't make a habit of sleeping with men I don't want to sleep with. Do you?"

Haymitch smirked, "No, I can't say I sleep with men I don't want to sleep with."

"Ha ha," Effie said sarcastically.

Haymitch looked at her for a few moments, not knowing what else to say. He still wanted her. Badly. But he knew that he would have to explain his hesitation. But admitting fear and weakness was not something Haymitch Abernathy did often. Or ever. So he turned to a fail-safe emotion.

"And just how many men have you slept with, Effie Trinket?" she sneered angrily.

Effie was taken aback. She was hurt, and slightly embarrassed, but she wouldn't let it show in her response. "_That_ is none of your business, Haymitch Abernathy," she hugged her robe around herself tightly. "Besides, I'm sure it pales in comparison to the _hoards _of woman who throw themselves at the handsome victor from District 12."

Haymitch snorted and looked away, "Yeah, the hoard of one."

"What?" Effie snapped angrily, until it sank in. "Oh." She vaguely remembered the girl he had told her about hours ago, the one the Capitol killed along with his family. She realized he hadn't been with any other girl since then, for the past six years, and she felt terrible. But she also felt a greater longing for Haymitch than ever before.

She stood up and took both of Haymitch's hands into hers and pressed her body against him. He was still looking away. She knew what she said next might make him even more angry, but she had to say it, "Are you nervous?" To her surprise, Haymitch just shrugged, still avoiding her gaze. "You were doing great you know," she smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips. He finally looked down and looked her in the eye.

"Oh yeah?" he asked. "How great?"

"Well, you're certainly the best kisser I've ever had," she replied, and he could tell it was true. "Now let's see how you are at everything else," she said as she grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him down onto the bed.

* * *

Effie awoke a few hours later to Haymitch lightly kissing the pink patch on the back of her neck. When he asked, she didn't have to lie when she told him he had been the best lover she'd ever had. True, he had been a bit nervous, a bit sloppy, and she had to talk him through a few things, but the fact that he cared enough to consider her needs was more than she'd ever gotten from one of her Capitol boyfriends. But Haymitch still needed reassurance.

"Really sweetheart, the men here don't even consider your needs. And it's always so…technical, you know? No passion. Unless they're taking some sort of drug of course. But I guess the women are probably just as bad," Effie said matter-of-factly.

"Sweetheart?" Haymitch snorted, but secretly kind of liked it. They were silent again for a few minutes, until Haymitch spoke again. "I leave in a few weeks, you know?" Even though his job was over, it was customary for all of the mentors to stay until the victor was crowned.

"Yeah, I know. I was trying not to think about that," Effie said sadly. She had been hoping to live in denial a bit longer. She had a feeling she'd have to deny a lot of her feelings from now on. "But, can't you just stay here? In the Capitol? All year? There's really no - " but Haymitch cut her off with a derisive laugh and she quickly backtracked. "No, of course not, that was stupid, forget I asked."

Still laughing, Haymitch teasingly ran his fingers along her naked stomach, "So, I guess this will just have to be our dirty little annual secret."

"So what, I'm just going to be your Capitol booty call?" Effie tried to sound angry, but ended up pouting.

Haymitch nibbled her ear. "It's better than nothing, isn't it?" He paused. "Just a little treat to look forward to as we watch 23 kids get murdered."

Effie sighed. "I have a feeling I'll be keeping a lot of secrets from now on."


	2. The 57th Hunger Games

**AN: **So, it looks like I've managed to write more after all! I'm quite proud of myself for sticking with it :) This chapter's a little fluffy at the beginning, but it gets more dramatic as it goes on, so please keep reading if you hate fluff! I hope you like it.

I love reviews, by the way *hint hint*

* * *

**The 57****th ****Hunger Games**

The 56th Hunger Games ended exactly 28 days after they began. The victor had been from District 2, as was often the case. Effie and Haymitch had spent the majority of that time in Effie's bedroom, sometimes surfacing to participate in mandatory events. The stylists and prep teams didn't return after their tributes were killed, and the only people they really had to see were the Avox servants, who mostly left them alone and sometimes gave them knowing looks. Haymitch assured Effie she could trust them to keep their secret, since they felt no loyalty towards the Capitol.

They got surprisingly close in that time, revealing things about each other that they normally wouldn't reveal to anyone else. Haymitch told Effie about life in the Seam, and she told him about life in the Capitol. Haymitch was less talkative than Effie, but she was glad, because the men she'd been with before always seemed to have a knack for turning the conversation back onto themselves, whereas Haymitch seemed to be actually listening…most of the time.

On Haymitch's final day in the Capitol, they exchanged addresses and promised to write to one another, but Effie wasn't very confident that Haymitch actually would. She knew, from talking to her predecessor, that he didn't do much else but wallow in a drunken depression for most of the year. In fact, few people in District 12 even knew he sobered up for the Games.

It took Effie some convincing to even get Haymitch to agree that writing letters would be safe. Even safer than the telephone, she assured him (not that he had one anyway). She knew that some of the mentors and escorts exchanged letters quite often, whether it was for business or pleasure. In fact, after a few years she got the feeling that many of the escorts felt just as disgusted with the Games as she did, but none of them ever talked about it.

So, Effie was surprised when he was the first to send her a letter, about a month after the Games were over. She had written him a few as well, but she never bothered to send them since they mostly contained boring things about her day, which she was sure he wasn't interested in. His letter was simple, and somewhat crude, yet she liked it better than any of the sappy, fake, over-poetic crap she'd received from men in the Capitol. She could tell he had been drunk when he wrote it:

_Dear Effffffie,_

_I miss you! I wish I was fucking you right now. That would be nice. _

_- Haymitch_

She actually laughed out loud when she read it, jolting awake her Persian cat, who meowed angrily and yawned. She decided to write back just as simply:

_Dear Haymitch,_

_I miss you too! But I wish you wouldn't call it "fucking." That sounds so crude._

_Yours, Effie_

Effie debated with herself for about 10 minutes about how to sign off the letter, but eventually settled on "Yours", since it seemed more sincere and personal than "Yours truly" or "Sincerely," and it was way too soon to end a letter with "Love." He apparently wrote his next letter when he was less drunk, because it seemed slightly more sophisticated:

_Dear Effie,_

_I'm sorry, what I meant to say was that I wish we were making love. In a meadow or something. You know, something romantic like that. I wish you could come visit but you'd probably get your tongue cut out or something if you did, and that would make the whole making love thing extremely awkward. And of course nobody from the Districts is allowed to leave unless it's for the Games. Or sometimes victors get invited there by a higher-up in the government, but that's never for a good reason. I just wish I could see you. We need to produce a victor soon so we can go on the Victory Tour together. Sound like a plan?_

_- Haymitch_

Effie smiled as she read this letter too.

_Dear Haymitch,_

_You know, I don't think I like calling it "making love" either, it sounds too…I don't know, lovey dovey. Can we just call it what it is? Having sex? _

_All this talk about it is making me want you, you know. Damn you. My friends keep asking me why I haven't been interested in any guys lately. Pretty soon they might start to think I'm sick or something, but the thought of a Capitol man repulses me now. Did you know that most of them get full body waxes? It's pretty off-putting. _

_Anyway, enough about male bodies, I'm sure that's turning you right off. Or at least, I hope it is…_

_What I wanted to tell you was that if you want to see me, I'm actually on t.v. most weeknights on the sports channel. I'm the reporter for the CBA (Capitol Basketball Association). I guess you don't watch television that often. But what did you think escorts did for most of the year? Well actually, a lot of them do nothing, since they're just socialites who can afford to work for only two months out of the year. Well, I suppose I could afford that too but I would feel utterly bored and frivolous._

_At any rate, I'm sure I've bored you enough with this letter. I definitely think we should try even harder this year to produce a victor._

_Yours, Effie_

Effie was only mildly offended by Haymitch's response, which she could tell he wrote when drunk again:

_Dear Effie,_

_I watched your show last night, but no offense, I still don't like what you look like with your Capitol cloths on. It's not yoooouu! And that voice. God. How do you make it so annoying but then it was so normal when we were alone? Or maybe I was just immune to it when you were naked? haha. Anyway, it was still nice to see you, but can I have some pictures of you looking normal? Naked ones, prefereably?_

_Yours, Haymitch_

The letters continued in the same basic fashion for most of the year. Sometimes sexual, sometimes teasing, sometimes serious, and sometimes mentioning the Hunger Games. So when it came time for Effie to assume her role as escort again, she almost felt guilty that she was looking forward to it. Of course, she was dreading the Reaping, and dreading getting to know two kids who would likely wind up dead, but she was looking forward to finally seeing Haymitch.

Nobody in the Capitol even noticed when she booked the earliest train, so she could reach District 12 about three hours earlier than she needed to. And she made sure to secure her wig, blue this year, with about a third of the pins she usually used, and she was wearing only a thin layer of make-up. When she reached Victor's Village, she used the reflection from a big window in one of the abandoned houses to scrub off most of the make-up, and she quickly took off her wig and placed it neatly in it's carrying case. She had worn one of her more conservative outfits today, though it was still more than enough to make everyone form District 12 glare at her as she passed.

She practically skipped to Haymitch's house, barely caring that her natural hair wasn't behaving today. She wasn't sure if he was expecting her, but she was fairly confident that he'd be there regardless. She had written to him about a month ago to let him know she wanted to come early, but he never wrote back. She wasn't too worried though, since he'd let a month slip by before without writing. She figured he was maybe just getting nervous for the Games and didn't have anything happy to say.

She knocked a happy tune on the door and bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. She subconsciously flattened out the non-existent creases in her dress. When there was not response after a few minutes, she knocked again, a bit louder this time, and tried the doorbell. As she finally heard noises from within, a big smile spread across her face, and she waited poised to leap into his arms as soon as the door swung open. He flung the door open and she took half a step toward him, but the look on his face made her heart sink. He wobbled a little and looked angrier than she had ever seen him. He was holding a brown bottle loosely in his hand.

"Piss off," he growled and slammed the door in her face.

Effie was heart broken for about half a second, but her non-wavering optimism kicked in and she reasoned that maybe he hadn't recognized her. After-all, she was currently dressed half as regular Effie and half as Capitol Effie, which she was sure would confuse anyone who was drunk at 9:00 in the morning. So, she knocked on his door again, and shouted, "Haymitch, it's me, Effie Trinket. Didn't you recognize me?" she ended off with a little laugh.

The door swung open again. "Yes, of course I recognized you! And that's why I want you to GO AWAY!" He started to slam it shut again but Effie was too fast for him. She stepped into the doorway and he caught the door before it could hit her. "Don't _do_ that. Get out!"

"What's wrong, Haymitch?" she said soothingly, as if speaking to a child. She looked up at him innocently as he glared down at her. He took a few steps back into the house, as if afraid to be close to her.

"_You_ are. Will you just leave me alone? It'll be better for the both of us," she started to stammer out a protest as he finished off his bottle and threw it past her. It shattered with a crash somewhere behind her.

"That better not have been aimed at _me_," she screeched and stepped closer to him, ready to hit him.

Haymitch laughed and then started to cough. She glared at him with her hands on her hips until he stopped.

"No. No I think I still have better aim than that," he replied.

"Well then what? Are you trying to scare me or something? You're _pathetic_, Haymitch Abernathy. I don't even know _why_ I thought you were worth it," her voice cracked on the last few words, and she had to take a few deep breaths to keep herself from crying.

"I'm not! I'm not worth it," he spat out and stepped toward her again. "And neither are you!" Effie stumbled back, tears really threatening to escape this time. "You know, I've been sick over you, this past year. At first it was okay, I just thought I missed you and I was horny or something. But then, with your _letters_, and your, your…sweetness. God. It's enough to drive anyone insane. And I just can't stand you, you know? It's not even worth it. What the hell did we think we were doing? Seeing each other once a year. Fucking while children die. That's not a life! I don't want it. I don't want any of it. I just want to be left alone. Alone is good. You can't miss anyone if you're alone. You can't mourn for anyone if they die. You can't…you don't have to be loyal to anyone. Nobody expects anything from you…" he trailed off as he flopped down on the stairs.

"You can't stand me?" Effie asked sadly.

"What? All that and that's what you focus on?" Haymitch asked and squinted up at her. She shrugged sadly. "I can't stand _missing_ you," he clarified.

"Oh…me neither," she replied sadly. "But, didn't you say it yourself last year? It's better than nothing?"

"No, _you_ said that," Haymitch argued.

"No, I'm pretty sure you said it," Effie thought about it, and wasn't sure herself. "But anyway, whoever said it, that's still what I think. I don't know, maybe I have a bit of an addictive personality too…" she smiled and stepped towards him. She ran a hand through his hair and was leaning down to kiss him when he suddenly sprang up again. She stumbled back and caught onto the open door to keep herself from falling.

"No, you're getting me off track!" He shouted, and started pacing, avoiding her gaze. "I've been doing a lot of thinking this past month, and it's just too dangerous, Effie. Do you know what happens to people I care about?" he stopped and looked directly at her, watching her response. "They die." Effie looked ready to argue but he kept going. "They _die_, Effie. My mom, my brother, my girlfriend. The three people I cared about most in the world. All dead. Because of me. I _can't_ let that happen again." He grabbed her by the arms and shock her slightly. "I'd rather be miserable for the rest of my life than have another person die for me." He released her and walked into the living room, grabbed another brown bottle, and returned to the hallway. "So please. Leave," he concluded as he took a long drink.

Effie wrung her hangs nervously, debating whether she should say what she really wanted to say next. All her better judgement told her to drop it. Told her there must be another way to calm Haymitch down. But Effie had always had a hard time not saying what was on her mind, especially if it nagged at her curiosity. She just had to figure out the right way to word it. They seemed to stand in silence for a long time until Haymitch finally barked at her, "What?" He could tell she was getting ready to say something he wasn't going to like.

"Well, I don't quite know how to word this," she started as she nervously caught his eye, "and I hope you don't take it the wrong way, but I just have to ask…because maybe I don't quite get it. But, you see, I…I looked it up…how your family, and your girlfriend, were killed, and…well, I'm just confused about why you think the Capitol did it," she saw Haymitch swell with anger and she sped on before he could interrupt her. "I mean, I know it's not just you who thinks it, I've heard other people say it too, but I just don't get it. It was a train accident, wasn't it? They were on their way to the Capitol, to see you. I mean, that could have been a pure accident. I guess it was a little weird that the Gamemakers kept you there longer than normal, but then, with the Quarter Quell…And…well I don't understand why they would kill them, because it's not like you did anything that bad. You just used the arena to win, just like everybody else did. I mean, the force field was right there, just like…like the poison food was. I don't know why that would be such a bad thing, to use it. It's not like, not like you really defied the Gamemakers, just found something that worked to your advantage. Lots of other victors have done that too. Like, like Beetee, do you remember him? He, he built that device that electrocuted the others, and he wasn't punished…"

"Beetee used supplies from the Cornucopia. He didn't find a flaw in the arena," Haymitch said through gritted teeth.

"Oh…oh," Effie said, slightly defeated. "So, is that what it was then? They didn't like that you used something they didn't mean for you to use? Because that just seems silly to puni- "

"I'm not justifying it! I'm not saying it wasn't…silly," he growled the last word, looked disgusted. "But those fuckers in the Capitol are crazy, Effie! Or haven't you noticed? They kill 23 kids a year, what's three more people to them!?"

"Oh…okay. I'm sorry," she felt tears truly starting to fall. "I didn't mean to make you so upset, it's just, I've often wondered why - "

"Don't. Don't wonder why the Capitol does anything, because you'll never get an answer!" Haymitch shouted and started walking toward the doorway, leading her out as he went.

"I'm sor -"

"And don't you ever talk about my family again," he stared dangerously at her as he said it and slammed the door, not waiting for her to be properly out of the way this time. As she hopped off the landing she lost her footing and landed hard on the porch. She immediately smelled whiskey and looked around, but thankfully the bottle had shattered quite a distance from her, on the sidewalk. She allowed herself to cry as she heard Haymitch banging around and cursing inside. After about 15 or so minutes of crying on the steps, she gave herself a quick pep-talk, mostly consisting of how the tributes needed her help if Haymitch was going to be miserable this year. She wiped off her tears, brushed herself off, and managed to slip through a low window in a nearby house to fix herself up for her walk through town. Back on the train, she took a long shower and was in tip-top shape for the Reaping. She asked a few of the Peacekeepers to make sure Haymitch made it to the ceremony. He did, along with his bottle. Apparently the Peacekeepers in 12 thought it was kinder, or funnier, to let him keep it.

Effie could feel him glaring daggers at her as she walked up to the podium. She took a deep breath, and said in a voice that was now a parody of herself, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ever_ in your favour!"

"Hear, hear!" Haymitch shouted from behind her, took a swig of his bottle, burped, and passed out in his chair. A few laughs rippled though the crowd, as Effie avoided looking at the close-up of him on the screens across from her.

"Ladies first!" she shrilled, forgetting the customary little filler speech and just hoping to get this day over with.

* * *

At about 2:00 AM, Haymitch slammed open her compartment door. She sat bolt upright in bed. Had she been sleeping it would have woken her instantly, but she hadn't been able to sleep a wink all night. She had been crying, and hoping he would come, even if it was to yell at her.

"What the fuck did you do?" he shouted. She didn't bother to shush him since the kids' compartments were on the other side of the common room. And she didn't need to ask what he was shouting about.

"I had the attendants get rid of it. All of it," she said confidently. "And I poured out your flask."

He walked angrily into the room and slammed the door shut behind him. "You had no RIGHT!" he shouted even louder and moved his arm as if to throw something at her, but realized he wasn't holding anything. She flinched anyway. "Who do you think you are?"

"I'm the escort from District 12. And it's seems to be _my_ job to make sure you do _your_ job," she said with a hint of arrogance.

"I don't need the help of some Capitol _bitch_," Haymitch retorted, but immediately regretted it as he saw the hurt flicker across Effie's face. But he maintained his anger.

Effie didn't let the insult faze her for more than an instant. In fact, it spurred her on. She threw the sheets off and walked confidently towards him. As she did, he couldn't help notice that her legs were completely bare, and he could just see her pink underwear peeking out from under the baggy white shirt she wore. His shirt, he realized, which he had given her last year before he left. His glare deepened, but he could feel the stirring in his pants.

She stopped a few feet away from him. "Apparently you do. Look at you," she said mockingly and looked him up and down with a sneer. Haymitch had never been very good at hiding a hangover. He was still wearing the majority of the suit he wore to the Reaping, but the jacket, tie, and belt were off, and his shirt was messily un-tucked and unbuttoned, with a few whiskey coloured stains across the front.

"Shut _up_," he demanded. "And take off my shirt, I don't want you wearing it anymore," he grabbed at the hem and started to pull it off, but she struggled against him.

"No, it's mine, you gave it to me!" she shouted as she tried to fight him off. "Haymitch, you're hurting me," she pleaded as he forced her arms up and managed to pull it over her head. She hated that he was so much stronger than her. As he threw the shirt aside with a satisfied smirk she put her hands on her hips and glared, shaking her hair back.

"Are you happy now?" she demanded.

"A little happier, yeah," he said as he looked lustfully at her bare breasts.

She quickly crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, "now I'm cold."

"I noticed," he said seductively as he stepped directly in front of her, and reached out a hand to smooth her messy hair down. She flinched away from him and moved back, falling softly onto the bed behind her.

"Don't touch me!" she cried as she straightened into a sitting position.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Effie. For everything," Haymitch said sincerely and she saw tears starting to form in his eyes. He sat beside her and she let him, inching away only a little. "I'm sorry for hurting you."

"No. No why are you apologizing?" Effie said sadly. "You're the one who's angry with me, remember?"

"Was I?" Haymitch asked, confused. "You mean for getting rid of the booze? No, I'm not mad about that anymore, I understand why you did it."

"No, not that, don't you remember?" she asked, shocked. She almost didn't want to remind him, but she knew she wouldn't feel right unless he properly forgave her.

Haymitch concentrated, "You said something…something about my family, and…and it was…I was offended," he said vaguely, and some of the anger started to return to him, even though he didn't quite remember why.

Effie sighed. "No, no it wasn't offensive, per se. I was just confused, about why the Capitol would do what they did to them. I didn't understand why, Haymitch. I wasn't saying it wasn't true, or that you were wrong, or paranoid. I just…I don't know, it's different, in the Capitol. They basically brainwash you, you know? Into thinking everything is perfect. Into thinking they're good and not just…evil douche bags," Haymitch chuckled, since Effie rarely swore. "But I understand now," she said emphatically as she reached out to take his hand, making sure he was looking her straight in the eyes as she apologized. "You explained it to me, and I understand. I'm sorry for questioning you or for seeming at all insensitive. It's just…well there may be a lot of things I have to unlearn, after living in the Capitol. And I hope that it doesn't always turn into a fight if I ask you to explain something. I'm sorry if some things are obvious to you, but they're not to - "

Haymitch cut her off with a kiss. He remembered now, why they had fought, how he had been so angry with her for refusing to believe how cruel the Capitol could be. But he couldn't help forgiving her. He couldn't help kissing her, when she looked so sad as she pleaded for his forgiveness. It also didn't hurt that she was almost naked. As he leaned her gently onto the bed, she broke off the kiss and pushed him back a little, fiddling with a button on his shirt.

"So does this mean you forgive me?" She looked up at him expectantly.

"Yeah, yeah," he shrugged it off. "But we've done enough talking for today," he whispered before he kissed her again and started to pull off her underwear. She moaned in pleasure and relief as she realized he had decided they were worth it after all.

**AN: So what did you guys think of the very first part of the chapter? With the letters and stuff? It felt like fluffy filler to me, just sort of a transition between the Games. Honestly, I sorta wanted to start it with their meeting at Victor's Village, but I thought it needed a longer introduction, and an explanation of how the rest of their time in the Capitol had been spent, and what they'd been doing the rest of the year. I hope I'm just being too hard on myself :P Please review, even if it's short :)**


	3. The 62nd Hunger Games

**AN: **This chapter took a far far darker turn than I originally intended. I include events from the Games, which is where the gore comes in; there's no darkness between Haymitch and Effie though. I honestly have no idea how I wrote some of this, it's so not me. It's incredibly dark at times and honestly deserves the M rating. On the other hand, it also has some really fluffy scenes…so…well it's just a really strange chapter. It's probably my favourite one so far though, and I'm actually thinking of doing a spin-off fic based on the tributes. So, with no further ado, enjoy! Trust me, it gets lighter at the end.

**WARNING: Some pretty gory scenes. Lots of blood. M for a reason.**

**Spoiler Alert: Briefly mentions something from Catching Fire, nothing huge though.**

Please review!**  
**

* * *

**The 62****nd ****Hunger Games**

It was a week before the Reaping. Haymitch was pacing the living room, anxiously glancing at the regal grandfather clock in the corner. 10:23 AM. He willed himself not to have another drink. He was quite proud that he'd only had one glass of whiskey since that morning. Well, one and a half.

Effie Trinket had been coming to District 12 a week early since her third games, after managing to convince a Gamemaker that she should help Haymitch sober-up before he met the tributes. So far, it was working. For the past four Hunger Games, Haymitch had been clean and sober, and he and Effie had even established a rapport with some of the sponsors. The Capitol elite seemed to enjoy their teasing banter and occasional flirting. Unfortunately, none of them had actually sponsored them yet, and the kids still died within the first few days. Haymitch was starting to get fed up, and he could tell Effie's relentless optimism was starting to fade, ever so slightly.

When he finally spotted her heading down the sidewalk towards his home in Victor's Village, loaded with shopping bags, he sat down to try to calm himself before she walked in.

Effie noisily opened the unlocked door and clambered into the entryway.

"Haymitch!" She yelled up the stairs in a sing-song voice. He cringed at the sound, hating how loud and high pitched she could be sometimes. "Are you awake yet?"

"I'm right here, sweetheart," he answered, and she gasped theatrically.

"You scared me!" she scolded, but then smiled broadly, her voice slowly easing out of the Capitol accent. "Well aren't you going to help me with these?" She asked as she put the bags down to take off her bright purple shoes. He walked over to her but didn't touch the bags.

"What took you so long?" Haymitch asked, more angrily than she probably deserved. "I thought your train got in at 8?"

"Well I wanted to get your groceries first this time….I don't like leaving you once I'm here," she said with a blush that was barely disguised by her light layer of make-up. "And then I saw this little girl, and her mother was trying to trade an _awful_ old dress for a loaf of bread, and the girl looked at me with all these bags and…well I gave her mother all the groceries and then I had to go get more. So…sorry I'm late."

Haymitch sighed and shook his head, "Oh, Effie."

"What?" she asked with her most innocent smile.

"You have to stop doing that, you know. If people find out you - "

"That I'm actually a decent person?"

"Well, yeah. I don't think the Capitol would like it," Haymitch said in concern.

"I don't care," she said in a huff and started to pick up the bags.

"Could you at least _tell _me the next time you plan to be late?" he asked. He had been worried about her, but he didn't want to admit it. He preferred being angry. "It's rude to make people wait, you know."

"Fine, yes. I'm sorry. But do you want food or not?" Haymitch gave a quick nod. "Have you eaten breakfast yet?" he shook his head. "Do you want bacon?" she asked teasingly as she held one of the bags up before him.

"I want _your_ bacon," he said as he reached behind her and squeezed her ass. She laughed and started to move towards the kitchen.

"Okay, but we have to put these away first."

Haymitch grabbed her arm and pulled her back, "Don't I at least get a kiss first?" He didn't wait for an reply, and she relaxed against him as he kissed her. She started to feel herself getting aroused and broke off the kiss, panting a little.

"We have to put these in the fridge," she said and started to pull him towards the kitchen.

"Mmmhmm," he murmured and kissed her again.

"No, really," she said again after a few seconds as she pushed him away gently.

"Oh, for Christ's sake!" he shouted so loudly that it scared her. He grabbed all the bags, sped into the kitchen, and shoved them into the empty refrigerator. As he walked back to her she shuttered a little, but she was used to his outburst by now. He kissed her hard and backed her into the living room, which he had remembered to tidy before her arrival.

* * *

"Ladies first!" Effie trilled from her podium, and pulled a name out of the giant ball beside her. She willed it to be an older girl this year; last year's girl had been 12. She deepened her fake smile as tears threatened to fall at the thought. She picked a girl named Iris, who she could tell was from the Seam, with sleek black hair running down her back. She emerged from the very back of the crowd, and Effie felt a flutter of relief before feeling dread again. 18 was still far too young to die.

"And now, the gentlemen!" she sang out happily and picked a boy name Bo. To her relief, he too emerged from the crowd of 18 year olds. He was the tallest boy in the lot, with messy blonde hair, a strong build, and a determined expression. He reminded her a little of how Haymitch had looked at his Reaping, and as if on cue, she heard Haymitch's low whistle behind her. She didn't dare look back at him, but she knew he was thinking the same thing she was. This might be their chance. This might be their victor.

As Bo ascended to the stage and nodded a greeting to Iris, Effie noticed the girl blush slightly and look away.

Effie sat back down for the mayor's speech and caught Haymitch's eye. They couldn't dare say anything to each other, but she recognized his look of concentration. He was already thinking of a plan, or at least, she hoped he was. As she sat beside him, smiling like an idiot for the cameras, she examined the tributes in front of her. The boy was strong; she could tell he was muscular from the way the old shirt tightened around his upper arms. He was handsome too. Not as obviously good-looking as the tributes from 1 or 2, but she knew he was handsome enough to catch some attention from the sponsors.

The girl wasn't very impressive though. She was skinny, as most of the tributes from the Seam had been, but she had a certain poise about her, and she was decently pretty. As Effie watched them, she noticed the girl kept shooting nervous glances at the boy. Effie immediately assumed she was nervous because she knew she didn't stand a chance against him. But then, something else dawned on her, as she saw them shake hands at the mayor's behest. Iris blushed again, deeper this time, and Effie recognized the longing glance she gave Bo. She remembered every time she herself had looked at a boy that way, it was even how she looked at Haymitch sometimes, or how he looked at her. She risked a quick glance at Haymitch to see if he'd noticed that one of their tributes just happened to have a crush on the other, but he hadn't noticed a thing. He was beaming at Bo and standing to applaud loudly with the crowd, as the anthem rang out and the spotlights dimmed.

* * *

"This is it, Effie!" Haymitch exclaimed happily as they stepped into the dining room of the train, and he poured himself some coffee. "This is the one!"

"Yes," Effie said enthusiastically and smiled as she took the mug he offered her, "I think he may just be!"

"He's the butcher's son, you know?" Haymitch told her as they sat down at the table. "That must be how he got so strong, lugging all that meat around. He may even be good with a knife!" Effie choked on her coffee at the thought of that boy using a knife on someone, and Haymitch snorted. "Well you didn't think we'd have a victor without him killing a few people, did you?" he said casually, but stared off into the distance as he finished. She placed her hand on his as she realized he was probably thinking about his Games, but he shook it away and started pacing the room.

"First of all, we'll need to know what his strengths are, what he can actually _do_. Muscles are all well and good, but it would help if he was good with a knife…" he continued on like this for a few minutes before Effie interrupted him. She had to tell him about what she suspected about Iris. She had a feeling it could help somehow, or at least, that Haymitch should know.

"Haymitch, did you notice the girl - "

"What?" he asked distractedly, and had to think for a few seconds before he realized what she had said. "Yes of course I noticed her. And it's sad and all, but I really don't think we can afford to try to help her if - "

"No, I mean, did you notice the way she looked at him?" Effie pressed on, despite Haymitch's unimpressed expression. "I think she may have a crush on him. I don't know if that helps us or hurts us, but…I just thought you should know…" she trailed off as Haymitch looked ready to laugh.

"I don't think you can tell that from just a look, Effie," he said doubtfully, "and even if she does…well…I don't see how it could help. If anything, it would get _her_ sympathy, which we don't want. We want to focus on him, right?" Effie didn't answer, but just frowned at him, trying to think of a way the girl's crush could help them. Haymitch went on about what they would say to the kids at dinner, as Effie wondered how on earth her suspicions about Iris could help Bo. She finally decided that they couldn't really, it was just damn sad that the girl would have to die, possibly at the hands of the boy she liked.

* * *

After the kids sat down to dinner and Effie formally introduced everyone, Haymitch immediately dove into the little speech he'd prepared.

"So, first thing's first, we'll need to know your strengths. You can spend some time thinking about them overnight if you need to. It could be anything: running, climbing, lifting. Or some sort of weaponry skills…" he trailed off and stared on Bo, who looked back nervously.

"No pressure though…" Effie muttered sarcastically under her breath and Haymitch kicked her lightly under the table.

"Well…well I guess I'm pretty strong," Bo answered, his gaze drifting from Haymitch's intimidating stare to focus on Effie's encouraging smile.

"Oh, yes, you look very strong!" Effie exclaimed.

"See, my mom's the butcher, so I do a lot of heavy lifting. And I'm there all the time now that I'm older," Bo hesitated for a moment, "and I'm good at cutting meat. But I don't know how that would help, unless the Capitol wants the other tributes skinned and delivered in flank steaks."

Haymitch gave a derisive laugh, "Wouldn't surprise me." The others smiled a little.

Bo looked hesitant again before adding, "I…well I don't think this was technically legal, but my mom taught me how to throw knives. She thought it might come in handy, just in case I was ever chosen. My grandfather taught her. I'm pretty good, I guess…"

"I'm sure you're great!" Effie beamed.

"Let's see what you've got," Haymitch nodded to Bo's knife.

"Oh Haymitch, but he can't throw that in here!" Effie glanced nervously around at the fancy furniture and mahogany paneling.

Haymitch laughed, "Don't worry, sweetheart. If anyone asks, you can blame me."

Effie sighed and shook her head in resignation, "I always do."

Bo aimed the knife at a knot in the paneling above the television in the adjoining room, and hit directly on target. After Haymitch and Effie were done gushing over him, Effie finally drew her attention to Iris, who looked nervous as the older woman lightly touched her hand.

"And what skills can you think of, dear?" Effie asked kindly.

Iris glanced silently from Effie to Haymitch, who looked annoyed but seemed to be listening.

"Well…I can sow," she said in a small voice.

"And have you ever sown flesh before?" Haymitch asked doubtfully.

"Well…no," Iris asked and looked down.

"You don't need to patronize her," Bo said angrily and Iris looked up at him with a small smile.

Effie started to lecture Haymitch but he cut her off, directing his attention to Iris, "Listen sweetheart, I don't know much about sowing, but I'm sure fabric can't be all that different from skin…Maybe she'd make a good ally, eh Bo?" Haymitch grinned at the boy, who continued to glare at him. Thankfully at that moment the television anchor announced the beginning of the Reapings, and as they all moved to the living room, Effie's initial anger at Haymitch died down a little.

They sat watching the Reapings, Effie making little comments. They got to District 2, "Enobaria Black," before Haymitch told the tributes, as he did every year, that it was easier if they didn't remember names.

Effie knew Haymitch lied about not knowing about sowing, since he had told her once that his mother had taught him as a boy. Still, in the arena, Effie remembered when he had tried to soucher a wound he received during the bloodbath. It continued to bleed until he ran into Maysilee Donner. She had learned a bit about stitches from a friend of hers and managed to patch him up a bit better. Although Effie generally didn't like lying to the tributes, she was glad that Haymitch had tried to comfort the girl, even though they both knew she didn't stand a chance.

* * *

"Just kill me!" Iris screamed as all of Panem watched. "You know someone's going to do it, so just do it now! Save yourself the trouble of protecting me, Bo!"

"I'm not going to kill you," he said quietly as he looked around. "But keep your voice down. Do you want them to find us?"

"YES! YES I DO!" she hollered at the top of her lungs. "You can take them, you know you can! And they'll just kill me and be done with it! OVER HERE, DISTRICT 2! COME AN- "

He grabbed her and tried to silence her as gently as possible, but she kept screaming and biting his hand while he tried to cover her mouth.

Effie stood in the Sponsor Viewing Centre, anxiously gripping Haymitch's hand. She was glad that in her guise as a stupid Capitol escort, she could sometimes get away with relying on him for comfort in public. Haymitch squeezed her hand back. He was obviously saddened by Iris's fate, knowing that she would have to die. But his thoughts were mostly on how he could save at least one of the kids. And on how District 12 could have a year's worth of extra rations if he did.

While Effie stood, shaking with fear for Iris, Haymitch was thinking about how this outburst from the girl could be used to get Bo sponsors. A few stood with them, watching the screen with just as much intensity as Effie. One of them even had a tear rolling down her cheek. She was the one to focus on, Haymitch decided.

Bo finally managed to restrain Iris long enough to say quietly, "Listen, I'll let you go and we can talk about this, but only if you promise not to yell, okay?" She nodded and he slowly released her. They were both panting as they stood glaring at each other.

"I've thought about it. I'm not crazy. Or suicidal. Sorry mom," she said as she glanced up and smiled briefly, "but I really think this is the best way. If you win, my family will be better off. But if I stay with you, if you keep protecting me, we'll both die. And then what?"

Bo hesitated for a second before responding, "You're not a weakness, Iris. I need you to be my look-out."

Haymitch gave a snort of laughter and Effie glared at him, but he didn't notice.

Iris mimicked Haymitch's snort, and said sadly, "No, you don't."

"Well, I'm definitely not killing you," Bo tried a different tactic. "Just imagine what everyone would say, back home. Killing my fellow tribute? Haymitch got enough flack just for letting Maysilee leave, but imagine if I was the one who killed you?"

Effie looked at Haymitch at the mention of his Games. That was one thing they barely ever talked about. He would bring it up sometimes, when he was drunk, but never in much detail. She wondered if the people in District 12 really did blame him for Maysilee's death. But Haymitch gave no reaction to Bo's words.

"Haymitch would _want_ you to do it," Iris responded with a satisfied smirk.

Every eye in the Sponsor Centre turned to Haymitch. Effie grasped his hand even tighter, as if begging for it not to be true. Haymitch glared at the screen and ignored everyone's inquiring expressions. "Haymitch?" Effie whispered, without thinking. He squeezed her hand back and she took that to mean…well she had no clue what it meant but it comforted her all the same.

"No, he wouldn't! Not like this! He may have…_expected_ me to be the victor, but he wouldn't want me to kill you!" Bo shouted. Haymitch squeezed Effie's hand again to reassure her that this was true.

"But I'm _asking_ you to do it, Bo," she pleaded. "Everyone can see that I'm _asking_ you to do it. For your own good. For District 12's own good…It doesn't have to be painful. Just slit my throat, like a _pig's_," she grabbed the knife from her belt and put it up to her neck. "I would do it myself if I could," she said harshly in a voice that wasn't her own. Effie gasped, and even Haymitch looked taken aback.

"God, no! Iris, no!" Bo shouted as he lunged at her, grabbing her hand before she could react, but she held the knife firm. After a struggle he managed to trip her and wrestle the knife away. As he pinned her down underneath him, straddling her waist, he threw his own knife aside too, in case she got any ideas. This got a few whistles from the crowd. Effie rolled her eyes before she could stop herself, then looked around nervously, but nobody noticed her brief lapse.

"Why do you care? WHY DO YOU EVEN CARE?" Iris shouted as she struggled to free her wrists from his grasp. She suddenly started to bawl uncontrollably and he just sat and stared down at her, utterly confused.

"Why do you even care!?" she repeated again after a few minutes, her sobs calming down a bit.

"I care because…because it's different, to kill you. There's a line. You're…from home," he said pathetically, wishing he knew the right answer. She started to cry again, softly, so he kept talking. "And…we're friends," he added, which made her laugh harshly as she struggled against him again.

"Ha. Right. _Friends_," she spat. "Even though before we got chosen as tributes you barely even said two words to me…unless it was to look off my geography test," he smiled at the memory and in the extreme close-up of her face, everyone could see a small smile breaking through her angry expression.

"Hey, you let me look off it," he answered lightly.

"Yeah, that's only because - " she rapidly cut herself off and blushed, turning her head away.

Effie smiled knowingly, "I told you," she whispered to Haymitch, who shushed her.

"Because why?" Bo asked, moving his head into her line of vision.

"God, boys are stupid," Iris answered, annoyed. She briefly tried to fight him off again but gave up.

"So explain it to me then. I don't think we have anything to hide from each other anymore," he prodded, as the viewers all remembered how he had cleaned the wound on her naked back after one of their encounters with the Careers, and how she had taken care of him for days as he vomited up poisonous mushrooms. And the viewers didn't know, since it didn't make for interesting television, about all the conversations they'd had, revealing practically everything about themselves to pass the time in the arena.

Iris sighed, but she wasn't ready to reveal her feelings yet, after keeping them secret for so long. "If I do, do you promise to kill me?"

"No," Bo answered shortly.

Iris started to fight against him again, kicking her legs hard this time, and almost managing to break free, but he held her tight. "It's not fair!" she shouted through sobs. "Why do I have to die? I haven't _done_ anything. I'll never get married! I'll never have kids! I've never even _kissed_ anyone," she concluded sadly.

Bo sat silently for a second, "Neither have I," he admitted, but Iris laughed.

"What? Yes you have. Of course you have. You're Bo - "

"No, I haven't," he said firmly.

"Oh," she said quietly and lay still.

"Do you want me to kiss you?" he asked, looking her straight in the face. She glared at him.

"NO!" she said definitely.

"Fine…" he thought for a second. "_Can_ I kiss you?"

Iris considered this for a second, "why?" she challenged.

Bo shrugged, "probably the same reason you let me cheat off your geography test." He smiled at her, and she couldn't resist getting a tingly feeling. The crowd in the Sponsor Centre gave a collective "Awwwwww."

"Fine," she said, still defiant. But as he leaned in to kiss her she melted into him. For a first kiss it was really quite good. He slowly loosened his grip on her wrists, and when she made no attempt to escape he let go of them completely. He was relieved when she wrapped them around his neck, instead of trying to get away. They kissed for about 3 minutes; everyone could tell because of the small clock in the corner of the screen.

Just when the editors were about to cut to a different scene, Iris broke off the kiss and said quietly, "you know, there are other things I've never done before…"

Bo's eyes widened and he adjusted his position nervously. "We can't," he said, not quite convincingly.

"Why not?" she asked, "other tributes have done it. They always just switch the scene before it gets to the good part." He knew it was true. He smiled and kissed her again, silently assenting.

"Oh no," Effie muttered under her breath as Haymitch tensed. This was not good. As entertaining as Capitol citizens found it when the tributes had sex in the arena, it always reeked of desperation. And the sponsors hated desperation.

"Idiots," Haymitch said loudly enough for the sponsors to hear, and they gave him small shrugs and started to mingle back into the crowd.

As Bo started to move his hand under Iris' shirt, Effie and Haymitch turned to one another, both about to say something. But they didn't need to say it, it was time to go. Haymitch nodded and she released his hand to lead him through the crowd, her head held high and a brave smile on her face. Haymitch didn't bother to hide his frustration as the other mentors jeered them as they passed.

* * *

Effie didn't try to comfort him. She knew there was nothing she could say to cheer him up. She would see what kind of mood he was in the next day. She hoped that he would see that all was not lost. That even if Iris stayed alive, Bo still had a fighting chance. She hoped he would realize all this, because she wasn't sure if she believed it herself, and he could always tell when she was lying.

They drove back to the Training Centre silently, holding hands. When they reached the penthouse, Effie was swarmed by the excited prep teams and stylists as Haymitch disappeared somewhere behind them. As she dislodged herself from the giggling morons, she spotted him emerging from the dining room, holding a bottle of whiskey loosely in his hand.

"Haymitch," she said, exasperated.

"What?" he snapped.

"Two more," she sighed.

Five years ago, he had promised her that he wouldn't drink until both tributes were dead. She often had to remind him that there was one more left, but in these Games, both kids had stayed alive longer than any of their tributes had before. Effie was not about to let him make a virtually impossible situation completely impossible. Haymitch mumbled something, took a swig of the bottle, and slammed it down on the coffee table.

He walked past the prep teams, not even registering them, grabbed Effie's arm, and led her quickly to her room, slamming the door behind him. She used to hate when he grabbed her like that, but now she almost liked how possessive he was. Not that she would ever admit it. Every television in the Capitol was set permanently to the Hunger Games, and she briefly noticed they were focusing on the Career tributes now. Haymitch started to undress and she looked at him, confused.

"Haymitch…" she asked carefully. He couldn't possibly want to…

"I need a nap," he said. Even though it was dark in the arena now, in the real world it was only lunch time. The Gamemakers liked to play with time.

"Oh," she breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought…"

"I know what you thought. Take that crap off," he said harshly, and she obliged, not in the mood for a fight.

When Effie stepped out of the bathroom she found him lying in bed. He raised his head as the bathroom door opened and silently watched her cross the room. She settled next to him and he hugged her close. She didn't want to talk, but she kissed him lightly on the lips and buried her head in his chest, the tears finally exploding out of her. Haymitch allowed a few tears to escape as well. He was furious with the tributes for giving into their hormones, and furious with himself for not warning them that doing so would ruin any hope of getting sponsors.

* * *

They awoke late in the afternoon. The television screen was showing Iris and Bo again, sleeping, thankfully clothed, and entangled together just as Effie and Haymitch were.

After about an hour of convincing him, Effie managed to get Haymitch to go back to the Sponsor Viewing Centre. She yelled, and then begged, trying to reason with him, telling him that they had to appear hopeful that their tributes still had a chance. If _they_ gave up on them there was no way anybody else would think they could make it. She told him they could spin it so that only Iris appeared weak, and Bo would still have a shot.

None of this worked, and eventually Effie sighed in resignation and announced that she was going, even if he wanted to stay. She couldn't stand not doing _something_ to help them. At this, Haymitch finally decided to go with her, more worried about being alone than about embarrassing himself at the Sponsor Centre. When he wasn't drinking, Effie was the only thing that kept him sane. In fact, she was more helpful than the alcohol. When he was sleeping with Effie, he didn't have to sleep with his knife. Well, at least not with it in his hand, it still lay close to them on the night stand. But she wasn't around for most of the year, and he didn't want to be alone now that he didn't have to be. Besides, he was afraid he would start drinking again if she left, which would piss her off more than anything.

They left the Training Centre in the early evening, Effie made up in her best escort outfit, and Haymitch clean-shaven and looking almost Capitol in the suit she picked out for him. As they were about to leave the penthouse, the giant television in the living room focused on their tributes again. As Iris awoke, she smiled briefly and looked at Bo, but as she squinted into the rising artificial sun, she remembered where she was. As the elevator closed, the camera zoomed in on her face, on the dangerous look in her eye.

While Effie and Haymitch descended the elevator and went to order a car, they didn't see Iris staring hard into the sky with a resolved expression on her face. As they got into the backseat of a stoic black taxi reserved for Hunger Games officials, the small television inside showed a close-up of her face as silent tears began to fall. The taxi pulled into the Sponsor Viewing Centre a few minutes later, and Iris started to reach out her hand. The camera zoomed out, and they saw she was stretching out her fingers to grab the long butcher's knife Bo had cast aside a few hours earlier. Haymitch and Effie gasped, along with every viewer in Panem.

Haymitch wanted to stay in the taxi, not wanting to tear his eyes away from the screen, but Effie quickly dragged him inside. She knew that whatever happened next, they needed to be near the sponsors. As they raced through the building, they missed Iris detach herself from the sleeping boy, unable to reach the knife from where she lay. Bo was startled awake and instinctively held her back, but he released her when she said she was just going to the bathroom. He turned onto his other side and she crawled over to the knife and sat cross legged, facing his back, waiting for him to settle back to sleep. She gripped the knife tightly in her hand, her knuckles going white. Haymitch and Effie burst into the noisy hall and were immediately assaulted with loud shouts from the crowd.

"What's she doing?"

"Is she going to kill him!?"

"No, she's going to kill _herself_!"

Haymitch shoved them aside and grabbed Effie's hand to guide her deeper into the room. As they reached the centre, where the best sponsors usually sat, Iris brought the knife to her arm, positioning it vertically above her wrist. The camera zoomed in on the pulsing blue vein as she clenched her fist.

"I _told_ you!" somebody shouted.

Iris hesitated for a moment, then brought the sharp blade down. The perfectly crafted metal from the Cornucopia produced blood instantly. As she pressed down harder and silently cringed, the blood started to gush. She looked as if she was about to shout out, but she didn't. She cut further up her arm, and stopped just shy of the crook of her elbow. She quickly transferred the handle to her other hand, and repeated the motion on the opposite arm. When she was done, she released the knife and collapsed silently to the ground. She restrained her cries through gritted teeth, not wanting to wake Bo.

The audience watched in silence as the forest floor pooled with blood. Effie willed Bo to wake up, but he slept soundly until a small moan escaped Iris' lips. He shot up with a start, grabbing at his belt for the knife that wasn't there, and immediately turned to the sound. He was confused for a second but the sight of the blood called him into action.

"Iris!" he shouted, and ran to her. It took him a second to find the cuts, since her whole upper body was now completely soaked in blood. He tore his shirt off, ripped in in half, and started to wrap her arms tightly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, barely audible.

"What did you _do_?" he shouted.

"I set you free," she said, loud and clear this time. She had practised this line in her head during the night, and hoped it would make a good enough sound-bite to possibly help Bo. He stared at her in silence for a moment, somehow understanding the importance of these words. Then he shook himself and went back to wrapping her arm.

"You're gonna be okay!" he assured her, as she closed he eyes and drifted into unconsciousness. "No, don't!" he shouted and shook her shoulders lightly. "IRIS!" he screamed far too loudly as she started to shake on her own. He released her as she convulsed and he looked around frantically, not knowing how to help her. "No! NO!" He started to weep as he realized there was nothing he could do. The Capitol knife had cut too deep. She had lost too much blood. He sat back on his heels in defeat and cried desperately, randomly repeating her name, until the convulsions died down. As her body calmed he picked up the limp form and hugged it close, smearing blood all over his bare chest and arms.

When the cannon blasted, Effie heard a cry escape her lips. The crowd turned to her, and she knew she had to make her reaction over-dramatic. She felt like vomiting but knew that wouldn't go over well, so she let out a giant sob and pressed herself into Haymitch, who stood frozen at first, and she hoped he looked bewildered or even disgusted at her touch, and then he started to pat her mechanically on the back. It wasn't quite the comfort she was used to, but having him there was enough. As she sobbed loudly to cover up her real tears, a few of the sponsors laughed, actually _laughed_, and offered condolences.

Bo's sobs were suddenly cut off by a harsh voice. "Aw, what happened? Your little girlfriend couldn't take it anymore?" the burly tribute from District 11 teased.

Bo scrambled up quickly, grabbing the knife stained red with Iris' blood.

"At least you got a good fuck in before - " but the other tribute never finished his sentence. Bo threw the knife, hard, and it lodged in the larger boy's forehead. He fell to the ground instantly, a second cannon blasting. A cheer went up in the Sponsor Centre as Bo let out a sob and turned away from his victim. Haymitch and Effie were suddenly swarmed by Capitol elite. With Iris gone, Bo stood a chance again, and his violent kill made him all the more popular.

Looking down at his blood soaked hands, Bo was struck by a sudden inspiration. He smeared a line down to the bridge of his nose with his thumb, then used his middle and index fingers to smear two lines on each of his cheeks. As he glared up defiantly into the sky, the crowd cheered again.

"Go," Effie whispered into Haymitch's chest as Bo gathered his things and walked away from the dead tributes, not looking back as the hovercrafts lifted their bloody bodies. Haymitch plastered on a fake smile and moved away from Effie, stretching out his arms.

"She set him free," Haymitch repeated the girl's dying words, and the crowd cheered. These bastards loved a good show.

Effie walked away un-noticed into the private room reserved for District 12. She vomited in the garbage can and downed a bottle of water. As she sat watching Haymitch make arrangements with the sponsors, she picked up the phone and managed to get through to a Gamemaker, who approved her idea and patched her through to the graphics department. By tomorrow morning, the Capitol would be plastered with two new sets of posters: A close-up of Bo's face, smeared with bloody war paint, glaring straight into the camera; and Bo walking away, his chest, arms, and face smeared with blood, as two dead tributes hung above him. Both posters would be emblazoned with the words, "She set him free."

* * *

By the time people started to filter out of the Centre for the night, Haymitch got five sponsors to send Bo a basket of food that would last him for days, and he had nineteen more sponsors lined up. Since there were only eight tributes left now, he knew nineteen wouldn't be enough to get very expensive items, but it was far more sponsors than they had ever managed before. Effie was elated when he told her the news in the private viewing room, and she hurriedly told him about the posters.

He laughed happily, "You always were the artistic one," he said as he hugged her and spun her around. It was true, she had worked in the graphic's department before she got her job as escort. She wondered if he remembered.

"We'll need some sponsors to pay for it though," she said as he put her down and they regained their balance.

"That's fine," he answered.

"It's a good investment," she went on.

"Yes, I said it's fine," he replied and laughed again. The high of finally getting sponsors, of finally having a tribute who had a chance at winning, had virtually erased Haymitch grief over Iris' suicide. And ultimately, he knew it was probably the most humane way for her to go, on her own terms, with the comfort of knowing she had helped Bo.

"Okay…well can you call some now?" she prodded. "They'll need payment before they start printing."

"Of course, sweetheart," Haymitch answered with a smile. Even Effie's bossy tone couldn't ruin his good mood. He easily arranged for four sponsors to pay for the posters.

Haymitch's good mood was catching, and Effie began to relax a bit. As she watched him make phone calls, charming the sponsors into giving them what they wanted, she began to think beyond Iris' death. As terrible as it had been, it seemed to give Haymitch a spark that she had never seen before. Their tribute finally had a chance at winning, and she knew that if he did, District 12 would be pushed back into the spotlight, and for at least the next few years they wouldn't have to try as hard to convince everyone they were worth it. As she glanced at Bo walking through the woods, she silently thanked Iris for her sacrifice, and as she did, some of the grief melted away.

Haymitch spun around in his chair with a cry of success and pulled her into his lap.

"Done!" he announced.

"Good!" she exclaimed, and hugged him tight. She rested her head on his shoulder and something silver caught her eye on the screen. Bo stopped walking to catch the parachute, and Effie jumped up. "The gift! Haymitch, our first gift!" she bent over him and kissed him. He started to manoeuvre her back onto his lap, but she wiggled away and looked through the big glass window hastily. Thankfully, there were only a few people left in the bigger room and they stood with their backs to them, watching the screen.

"This calls for a celebration!" she beamed, and bent down to rummage through a drawer in the big desk. Haymitch turned briefly to watch Bo unwrap his gift, but turned back to Effie sharply at the sound of clinking glass.

"But there's one more left," he said bitterly as he watched her pour two glasses of fine scotch.

"Oh Haymitch, it's just to celebrate!" she exclaimed, and then looked defensive as she added, "it's been here forever, you know? My parents gave it to me on my first day as escort…I've been saving it…"

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes. I give you permission," she said seriously and he scoffed.

"Permission," he muttered sarcastically but took one of the glasses and looked into the brown liquid longingly, and then back up at Effie, realizing he longed for her more. This thought comforted him and he raised the glass in a toast. "To Iris," he said stoically and their glasses clinked.

He meant to drink one glass, but as she poured herself another he recklessly demanded one too. They finished most of the bottle before she insisted they put it away. He barely felt tipsy but she was giggling madly as she tried to look stern. He didn't really care about the booze at this point, because there was something else he wanted a lot more, and he didn't know if he could get her drunk enough again in here to agree to do it. They had sex on the soft carpeted floor and she blushed as she told him she sometimes fantasized about them doing it here. He had one more glass as she went to the bathroom to fix her outfit, and they decided to walk back to the Training Centre, Effie stumbling as they went. As crowds of people cheered them as they passed though the busy streets, Effie felt her grief melt away. Haymitch still hated the Capitol, hated the Games, and hated his job as mentor, but as the cheers rose around them, he felt a little happier too.

They cut through a small park, away from the crowds, toward the Training Centre that loomed over them. Well, Haymitch walked, but Effie danced around him, singing songs he didn't recognize.

"Listen, listen to this one, it's about you and me," she said happily as she started a new one. She didn't have a great voice, but he laughed as he watched her.

"You think I'm pretty, without any make-up on! You think I'm funny, when I tell the punch-line wrong, I know you get me, so I let my hair fall down. Dooooown! Before I met you, I was alright but things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life now every February, you'll be my Valentine! Valentine! Let's go all the way tonight, hmm hmm hmm something something, we can dance, until we die, you and I will be young for-ev-er! 'Cause you. Make. Me. Feel like I'm living a. Teenage dream. The way you turn me on. I can't sleep. So let's run away and don't ever look back, don't ever look back! My heart stops, when you look at me! Just one touch, and baby I believe. This. Is. Real. So let's run away and don't ever look back, don't ever look back!" she stopped singing and added, "And then some stuff about some place called California. Do you remember where that was? I was never very good at - "

He cut her off with a kiss and moved his hand up her blouse. This was so unlike the regular Effie. He vowed to get her drunk more often. She didn't stop him until he started to reach under her skirt. She giggled and danced away from him.

"Did you like it?" she asked. It took him a second to realize she meant the song.

"It was fitting, I guess," she said with a shrug. "I've never heard it before."

"No, no I guess you wouldn't. My great-grandmother used to listen to songs like that. She only lived to be 140 but I guess her mother really liked it," Haymitch raised his eyes in shock.

"140?" he asked.

"Yes, I know, she died pretty young but I suppose medicine wasn't as good back then," she said with a shrug. Haymitch felt a pang of renewed anger at the Capitol. In District 12, you'd be lucky to make it to 70. 60, if you're from the Seam.

"Haymitch…Haymitch," she said, attempting a serious face, but a smile broke through. "No, no seriously. Haymitch, there's something I have to tell you." She collapsed onto a bench and he sat down beside her, she spoke really quickly. "So, umm, I've wanted to tell you for a long time. Really wanted to tell you. I almost have too. It's almost exploded out of me, but I stopped myself. But tonight…well I almost said it in front of all the spinsers…I mean sponsors," she giggled, "and that wouldn't have been good. It's actually been really hard not to say it and I'm a little upset that you never said it but I guess one of us has to say it first and I'm really drunk." She looked at Haymitch to gauge his reaction, but he mostly looked concerned, so she just said it. "I love you."

Haymitch's eyebrows raised in surprise and he didn't know what to say. He thought he probably felt the same way, but admitting it would be admitting that he had someone to lose again. When he didn't respond right away she glared at him and fumed.

"WELL?" she shouted.

"Effie, I…" he looked away, and she stood up in a huff.

"FINE" she shouted and started to walk away, but he pulled her back down.

"Listen, I care about you, you know I do. But first of all, I don't think this is a conversation we should be having while you're drunk. And second of all…We've only ever really spent, what, 7, maybe 8 months together over the past 7 years. I don't know Effie, that's not really enough for me to know how I feel. I'm sorry if you've figured it out, but…I don't know," he said, and looked down at his hands with guilt. He knew this was not what she wanted to hear. She started to cry and he pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry. I'm just not ready for this. You know I care about you, right?" he asked, and pulled away to look at her face. "Right?" She nodded sadly. "And you know I've never felt the same way about anyone else?"

"Not even - "

"No," Haymitch cut her off quickly. "That was just…high school," he finished. Effie nodded as she brushed the tears off her face.

"So, are we okay?" he asked.

She nodded again. "Yeah, I guess so. I just wish…well anyway. Let's go home."

As they walked the short distance back to the Training Centre, Effie refused to take his hand, and she didn't dance anymore. Unable to bear the silence, he answered the question she had asked earlier.

"District 1."

"What?" she asked harshly.

"You asked where California was. District 1," he answered casually, but he was proud of himself for knowing something she didn't. She sometimes lectured him about how he never finished school, so he liked to remind her that his grades were just as good as hers until he dropped out.

"Oh," she said, uninterested.

"I was always good at geography," he added, arrogance seeping into his voice.

"Good for you," she replied dismissively and sped ahead of him. He got the hint and stayed a few steps behind her. She locked him out of her room that night, but the next morning he woke up with her curled against him.

* * *

The fight started as they sat down for breakfast, which they left abandoned as they raced to the living room for a better view. Effie suggested they go to the Sponsor Centre, but Haymitch didn't want to miss a minute of it. Besides, he had the sponsor's phone numbers if he needed to call them. He vaguely wondered if it was against the rules to ask for something in the middle of a fight.

They sat beside each other on the couch, watching Bo and Enobaria. She was the only Career left, and after Bo killed her, he would only have to worry about two more kids, both much smaller than him. He managed to throw her weapon over the waterfall within the first few minutes of the fight, but she was fast, and tough. She dodged most of the swipes he took at her, but she also had several cuts. She didn't even flinch whenever his blade connected with her skin.

A week had passed since Bo's first gift, and Haymitch had managed two more since then. He got some expensive medicine for a brutal cut Bo sustained during a fight with another Career, and for the past few days the Gamemakers had turned up the heat and made it perpetual daytime, so Effie prodded him to send some sunscreen and sunglasses.

Haymitch and Effie watched helplessly as their tribute fought. As they circled each other slowly, Enobaria took a sudden lunge at Bo's knife. Both of their hands and arms got cut up in the struggle, but she eventually wrestled it out of his grasp and threw it over her shoulder into the waterfall.

"That's a little more even now, don't you think?" she smiled savagely and lunged at him again. The sheer force of her weight knocked Bo over, and what happened next left all of Panem in shock. She bit at his throat, breaking the skin and biting, biting until her mouth was covered with his blood. His scream was muffled quickly as his throat pooled with liquid, and thankfully he was dead within a few seconds. The cannon blasted as Enobaria sat up, Bo's blood dripping down her chin. She spat some of it out before she licked her lips. That image would haunt Effie for the rest of her life.

Haymitch put his hand on top of hers and squeezed it lightly, as they both stared in horror at the screen. She expected him to get up and rage about how much work they'd put in and how it had resulted in nothing but disappointment. But he simply felt empty. They had put their best efforts into this one. They had a strong tribute, a clear strategy, and sponsors. So many sponsors. But it had still resulted in nothing. The Capitol was relentless. But he got to leave, every year. He knew he would have to leave Effie soon and he didn't want this year to be totally worthless. He knew she needed something to keep her strong, and frankly so did he.

"I love you," he whispered and stared straight ahead, not daring to look at her.

"Wh…what?" she stuttered and gazed up at him.

"You heard me," he said flatly.

She sat silently for a second, then stuttered out, "Wh…why?"

Haymitch shrugged. "I don't know, Effie. Why do you love me?"

"No, I mean, why now? Why are you telling me now?"

Haymitch sighed, "I don't know. I guess I thought it might make you feel better. Besides, there's no point in denying it anymore. I can't protect anyone anyway, no matter how hard I try," he trailed off as they watched Bo's dead body lift into the air.

After a long pause, Effie asked, "Do you mean it?"

"Yes," he said and finally looked at her, a hard expression on his face.

"Oh…" she blushed a little. "I love you too," she said.

"I know," he smiled.

**AN:  
**

**1. In case you're wondering where I got the name Bo, I always wanted to make him the butcher's son, because I figured that's one of the occupations that would have a good shot at winning the Games. More so than a baker, anyway…*cough* So then I was thinking, what would be a good name for a butcher's son? So I ran through a list of meat-like things in my head and, well, Bovine, Bo…yeah :) **

**2. Enobaria's last name is Black because District 2 = Masonry = Blacksmith (which I believe is where the last name "Black" comes from). Also, who could resist the Bellatrix connection? Crazy bitches. **

**3. I apologize for the Katy Perry. I just think the song fits them so perfectly. It's so fluffy to re-read though, I almost made myself sick :P**


	4. The 69th Hunger Games

**AN: **Just a brief explanation, **THIS is a new chapter.** I uploaded it AFTER I uploaded the original 4th Chapter (The 73rd Hunger Games), which is now the 6th Chapter. Sorry for the confusion, but I wanted to add a few more things in. The 73rd Hunger Games chapter is now a little different, so you can re-read it if you want, but it's basically the same. If you've already read it, well the two new chapters just happen before it. Again, sorry for the confusion. This just came to me and I wanted to add it in.

If you're reading this whole story for the first time, ignore everything I just said above, and enjoy :)

This one's a lot shorter than my other chapters, but it really goes along with the next one, which is why I uploaded them together.

Please review!

* * *

**The 69****th**** Hunger Games**

After the 62nd Games, where their tribute had gotten to the final four before being brutally murdered by Enobaria, everything changed. Effie had a hard time getting Haymitch to talk to sponsors, even though most of them were eager to support District 12 after the success they'd had the year before. But he did it, begrudgingly. The next few years were tougher. He started drinking more and more, unable to forget how disappointed he'd been after trying so hard, and failing, to produce a victor. Effie was ever optimistic, reminding him that the first step to success is trying. Haymitch preferred to believe that trying was just the first step to failure.

They started fighting more and more, over big things, or little things, but they always made up. It was usually Haymitch's fault…usually. But Effie knew she probably didn't help the situation. They were both quick to anger, and both stubborn as hell, but luckily they were also both quick to forgive. They would usually make up within a few hours, or a day at the longest. Haymitch would apologize, even if he wasn't exactly sorry, because he knew it was what she wanted to hear. Effie seemed to have a harder time apologizing, but he always forgave her anyway, even if she didn't. That was how they'd spent their years together, sometimes mad, but mostly happy.

They were really opposite in a lot of ways, and sometimes they both questioned how they stayed together. But deep down, they knew that they were the only people who either one of them could be with. They had both been broken and they knew how to comfort each other, if nothing else. Although Effie hated to admit it, there were a few years when she considered asking to be transferred to another District, to get away from Haymitch. Sometimes, she didn't want to be with him anymore. But whenever she started to think about it seriously, she realized that she couldn't imagine herself with anyone else, especially a cold, passionless, Capitol man.

Effie's self-appointed job of keeping Haymitch sober during the Games became even harder after the 66th Games. Somebody, she was never told who, had told the Gamemakers that her and Haymitch didn't exactly have a _normal_ escort/mentor relationship. Effie wasn't sure, but she had a very strong suspicion it had been the new designer. Her idea to paint the kids in black and parade them around naked had made them the laughing stock-of all of Panem. It had been a disastrous design, and the designer had been ridiculed in all the fashion programs and magazines. And yet, in the very next Games, she was promoted to District 7. Yes, Effie suspected she had revealed a little secret to the Gamemakers that earned her a reward. Whenever Effie saw her she would smile sweetly at the woman, while raging at her on the inside.

They were never officially accused of anything. Frankly, Effie knew it wasn't technically against the rules for an escort and mentor to carry on a romantic relationship. But after the 66th Games, Effie was forbidden from going to District 12 before the day of the Reaping. Apparently, as a Gamemaker explained it, it gave their tributes an "unfair advantage." Had it been anybody but Plutarch Heavensbee, she would have simply accepted it, but since he was one of her mother's oldest friends, she tried to convince him to change his mind. He apologized and told her it would be worse for her to protest it. And so it was done.

Effie no longer went to District 12 a week early, and Haymitch rarely sobered up before the Reaping. He tried to the first year, but he didn't bother anymore. It was easier when Effie was there to take it all away and to yell at him so much he stopped drinking just to shut her up. But now, the earliest he could stop was when he got on the train, and by the time he was sober enough to be useful it was almost time for the kids to go. And besides, it was harder now than it had been before. Now not only was he haunted by his own Games, but he was haunted by hope. By the hope he felt when he thought Bo could win. By the hope that was shattered in a bloody mess of teeth on flesh. He honestly didn't know how Effie dealt with it. He knew that she took sleeping pills every night, and if she didn't she'd take hours to fall asleep. Her nightmares were just as bad as his, and sometimes he'd wake up to her talking in her sleep. But during the day, she was disgustingly chipper.

Haymitch didn't understand it, even when she explained it to him, but hiding behind her character kept her strong. Besides, she knew she would hate herself more if she gave up. The only thing she knew how to do when the Games rolled around was to try with all her might to keep those kids alive. It was the exact opposite of what Haymitch did, but whenever he tried to convince her she'd feel better if she resigned herself to failure, she would get upset and try even harder.

Effie never stopped trying to get Haymitch to stop drinking. But he held firm, explaining that the alcohol kept him in a state of constant non-reality, where he could forget the truth and write it off as his imagination. At least he drank a lot less when she was around, so he wasn't quite so belligerent, which she supposed she should be grateful for. And sometimes he even stopped on his own, if one of the tributes looked promising, or he saw it was upsetting Effie too much, but that didn't happen very often. And he usually managed to give the same lines of standard advice every year, and if he didn't, Effie would. Don't run to the Cornucopia, don't show them your strengths, focus on survival techniques, etc.

But Effie was always worried about the sponsors. She could talk-up the kids as much as she liked, but she wasn't allowed to discuss gifts. That was Haymitch's job, which he got worse and worse at every year, if he did it at all.

During the 69th Games, Effie managed to drag him to the Sponsor Viewing Centre with her, but now she regretted it dearly. One of their tributes was dead already, but the girl was still alive. Haymitch was barely even drunk, so she couldn't even blame the alcohol, but he somehow offended a whole group of sponsors, who walked away angrily. Effie shuffled him out of the Centre quickly before he could cause any more damage, and ignored him for the whole trip back to the Training Centre before exploding at him in his room. They'd had the same argument about a million times, about Haymitch not helping the kids, and Effie being too demanding. They were just about to make up when Effie suddenly shot off the bed.

"I don't know why I even bother anymore," she said angrily.

"Neither do I. Don't. Don't bother. You know they don't stand a chance anyway," Haymitch replied, in a much calmer tone than he'd been using so far.

"That's not what I mean," Effie said sadly. "I mean, I don't know why I bother with _you_ anymore." Haymitch glared in confusion but didn't say anything, so she kept going, holding back tears. "I…I've thought about it, a lot, and I don't think I can do this anymore. Be with you, I mean. It's too much, Haymitch." He stood up and moved toward her, but she quickly moved to the other side of the room, closer to the door. "We just fight, all the time. And you don't respect me. You're always so rude to me, and I'm not very nice to you either. I just…I can't. I don't have to put up with this. I don't need this. I don't. I deserve better. Being with you is just too hard," she started to cry softly as she finished.

"I'm sorry," Haymitch said automatically as he moved to comfort her again. She moved even closer to the door and laughed dryly.

"You're sorry. Great. How many times have I heard that before? It's not a matter of being _sorry_. It's just who you are, and you can't change that, and it's not fair to ask you to. We're just…too different. And it's too hard. Trying to do these Games together and carry on a relationship. We fight all the time and it's wearing me down," Effie said weakly.

"Effie, but…I need you," Haymitch said. "You're the only thing that -"

"Don't. I've heard this all before," Effie said, regaining some of her strength.

"I love you," he tried again.

Effie sighed, "I love you too, but this is ridiculous. People who love each other aren't supposed to treat each other like crap. And that's what we do. This isn't healthy."

"Fine, then go," Haymitch snapped suddenly and pointed to the door. "Maybe now you'll finally leave me alone."

Effie frowned. She was sure he'd try harder to fight for her, but she guessed they were both tired of fighting by now. When she started to break up with him that night, she didn't think she'd actually go through with it. She was sure they'd make up like they always did. But as she walked sadly back to her room, she realized it was for the best. He was no longer the man she fell in love with. The man she fell in love with was smart, confident, hard working, optimistic. But Haymitch had turned into a hopeless layabout who she was tired of yelling at, and the playful teasing banter they used to have had long since turned malicious. It was for the best, she thought. Even if she still loved him, even if she always would, she needed a man who respected her, and was polite, and put together, and predictable.

As Effie was getting ready for bed that night, their second tribute died. She knew there was no reason for her to be in the Training Centre anymore, so early the next morning she packed her bags and went back to her apartment. She left a note for Haymitch on the dining room table.

_Haymitch_

_I have gone home to my apartment, as there is no reason for me to stay here anymore. I have arranged a train ticket for you. You may use it on any day you like; just take a Games taxi to the train station and give them your name. Good bye._

_- Effie _

Haymitch glared down at the note as he read it. Last night, when he told her to get out, he didn't actually think she would. He thought she would cool down, they would see each other at breakfast, and he'd smooth things over like he'd done after every other fight. But this year, she was serious.

He got a crazy notion to find out where she lived and go talk to her there, but he knew that was probably an impossible idea. He would write to her, he decided, and he did, on the train home. He wrote to her a few times during the year, to try to make up. The letters ranged from apologetic, to sad, to angry, but he never received a reply. The whole time, he wasn't too worried that she would actually stay mad at him. He knew her better than anyone, knew how stubborn she could be. True, she was being more stubborn than usual this time, but he thought it was to prove a point. To make him miss her. To make him change; or to prove that he couldn't, more likely. So, to prove his own point, Haymitch decided to sober up early next year. Everyone probably thought he liked being drunk, but he didn't. He would prove Effie wrong. He would show her what she was missing.


	5. The 70th Hunger Games

**AN: **Again, **this is a NEW chapter**. The next chapter was here before, but it's got a few little changes to match it up to the new additions, so you should probably re-read it if you already read it.

If this is your first time reading this story, ignore the above statements.

Also, this is the only chapter so far that has a semi-explicit sex scene. I don't know why, it just seems to fit here. Or maybe I'm in a more sexual mood as I write it. Anyway, enjoy!

I love reviews :)

* * *

**The 70****th**** Hunger Games**

When the next Hunger Games rolled around, Haymitch kept the promise he had made to himself the year before. He stopped drinking about a month before the Games started. It was hard, really hard, but he did it. He was disappointed when it was a pair of Peacekeepers who came to escort him to the Justice Building instead of Effie, but he knew he would see her soon enough.

She was surprised to see him freshly shaven in a clean suit as they greeted each other coldly in the Justice Building, and smelling like soap, not whiskey. She had been expecting him to be more disheveled than ever, but seeing him so put together and clearly sober gave her a pang of longing.

But it was too late, she was with someone else now. He was from the Capitol and was slightly less frivolous than most of the other citizens. She wasn't entirely happy with him, but he was the complete opposite of Haymitch. Respectful, polite, predictable, put together. Boring, she had to admit. But she was sick of the constant fighting, and maybe a boring man was what she needed. She'd wanted to tell Haymitch about it the first night on the train, but she couldn't work up the courage. And honestly, seeing him sober and coherent as he talked to the tributes threw her off-guard. But the first night in the Capitol, she knew she had to tell him, or else he might find out from someone else, and she didn't want to do that to him.

After they all watched the re-run of the opening ceremonies, Effie washed off her make-up and put on some simple clothes. She knocked on Haymitch's bedroom door and he smirked as he opened it.

"I was expecting you," he said slyly and ushered her in.

She made an annoyed huffing sound and walked in briskly as he shut the door behind her. If he was expecting them to get back together, he was dead wrong.

"That's not what this is about," she said in an annoyed tone. "In fact, it's the complete opposite of what this is about." She felt herself getting angry and told herself to calm down. She needed to tell him nicely.

"Well then spit it out, sweetheart," Haymitch said, still in his sly tone.

Effie took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye, "I'm…engaged," she said confidently before her gaze fell to the floor, dreading his response.

"You're WHAT?" he exploded.

"Engaged," she repeated. "His name is Marcus and he's been asking me out for a while but I kept turning him down. He's a wonderful man who treats me with respect," Haymitch snorted but Effie kept going. "He does. He never yells and he's always polite to me and we never fight."

"_Sounds wonderful_," Haymitch said in a mock Capitol accent.

"He _is_ wonderful, Haymitch," Effie raised her voice. "He's actually nice to me and respects me."

"I respect you," Haymitch challenged.

Effie laughed, "Yeah, right. You have absolutely no respect for me at all, or what I try to do every year. All you ever did was call me a nag and tell me that what I do is pointless. But Marcus, he listens to me and…and agrees with me, and -"

"Does he even know you?" Haymitch interrupted.

"What? Are you saying if he knew me he wouldn't respect me?" Effie asked.

"No. I'm saying, he agrees with you all the time? He's nice all the time? You never fight? God, is he even human? Effie, I don't know if you know this sweetheart, but you're not exactly an easy person to get along with. If this guy is just blindly agreeing with everything you say, well is he even listening to you at all?" Effie started to say something but he kept going. "I listen to you, that's why you drive me crazy all the time. And no matter how mean I am to you sometimes, which I admit I can be, I respect you. If I didn't, I wouldn't give a shit about what you say! The reason I get so mad at you half the time is because you're probably right, I probably shouldn't be drinking so much or ignoring the tributes. I respect you, and I hate that you're right."

"Whatever, Haymitch," Effie replied, not wanting to listen to him. "If your way of showing respect is by being rude and -"

"So what do the two of you talk about, then? How much you love President Snow, and how you love watching the Games, and how great it is that the Districts are your slaves?" Haymitch said with a smile, knowing that Effie can't stand any of these things.

"Well, we avoid talking about politics, actually, and - "

"Are you going to have kids?" Haymitch continued. "Little Capitol brats who cheer for the Games and play with their little plastic swords?" He knew how much it upset her to see new batches of kids brainwashed into liking the Games every year. They would see them sometimes, in the Sponsor Centre with their parents. Effie frowned deeply.

"Does he know about your nightmares? Has he ever asked who Bo is, or Iris, or Poppy?"

"What?" Effie snapped.

Haymitch shrugged, "You talk in your sleep sometimes, I never told you." Effie blushed for a second, but Haymitch kept talking. "You say my name a lot too, you know. Has Marcus ever asked about that?"

"No, no he hasn't. And I think you're lying. You're just trying to upset me, like you always do!"

Haymitch laughed, "I never _try_ to upset you, it just happens."

"Well Marcus never upsets me. I…I think we'll be very happy together. I love him," Effie felt her voice waver on the word 'love', and she knew Haymitch heard it too, because he smiled wickedly.

"Not as much as you love me," he stated.

"That doesn't matter," she retorted, not bothering to deny it. "There are more important things than love. Like respect, and, and being nice to each other, and, and…" she was really starting to lose confidence, with Haymitch staring down at her. What did she really love about Marcus anyway? Nothing, she knew, but he did treat her well. And they never fought. It was…decent.

"And companionship? And humour? And challenging one another? And comfort? And not having to hide who you are? And passion?" Haymitch finished as he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a deep kiss. She didn't bother to fight it but he released her after a few seconds.

"You're disgusting," she spat and moved toward the door, but Haymitch yelled after her, not wanting her to leave. He decided to try a different tactic.

"Wait, I'm sorry!" he started. She turned around and glared at him, but stopped walking. He sighed sadly. "Effie, I want you to be happy. Do you really think this guy can make you happy?"

Effie was taken aback. This didn't sound like Haymitch at all. She looked at him suspiciously as she answered, "Yes, I do." She knew it was a lie as soon as she said it, but she hoped Haymitch wouldn't notice.

"Happier than I could?" he asked.

Effie hesitated, "Yes, all things considered, I really do."

"Well, then congratulations," Haymitch said sadly. He was acting now and he had a plan. Something he knew she couldn't resist. He knew her too well. But she knew him well too, and something told her he was up to something. "Can I give you an engagement present?"

"What?" she asked, taken off-guard.

"A present, to show how happy I am for you!" he said far too enthusiastically.

"What is it?" she asked suspiciously.

"Something you may never get again," he answered, and leaned in to whisper in your ear seductively, "I wanna lick your pussy."

"Haymitch!" Effie shouted and pushed him away.

"Let me make you cum, Princess. One last time," Haymitch said smoothly as he reached out and trailed his fingers across the crease of her pants until she pushed his hand away.

"That is completely inappropriate!" she exclaimed, but cursed herself as she started to get a little wet.

"Come on, sweetheart, for old time's sake. You know nobody can make you cum the way I can. You told me once, that men here don't even try." He started hard at her until she gave an almost incomprehensible shrug and bit her lip nervously. "One last time, what's the harm in that?" he asked as he stepped toward her and brushed his hand across her face, cupping her cheek. His other hand landed on her waist as he pulled her in for a gentle kiss. She kissed him back for a few seconds until she jerked back suddenly, breaking off all contact.

"I'm not an idiot, Haymitch! I know what you're trying to do! You think that if you make me cum, I'll forget about how much of a jerk you are and come running back to you!" She knew that his plan had a good chance of working. He smiled at her slyly and kissed her again, much deeper this time. She gave up trying to fight it and kissed him back just as hard. She wanted him, badly, and she didn't care about the aftermath right now. After about a minute of kissing, he trailed his hand down to her ass and squeezed her left cheek for a second. He lifted her leg up and wrapped it around his waist. He did the same with her right leg and turned to carry her to the bed. She was always amazed at how strong he still was.

He lowered her gently onto the bed as they continued to kiss, and pulled off her simple white t-shirt. He kissed down her neck as he unhooked her bra and threw it aside. She moaned as he sucked lightly on her nipples and pulled her pants and underwear off. He kissed down her stomach until he reached his final destination. She moaned his name loudly as he plunged his tongue inside of her, and ran her hand through his wavy black hair. She missed him terribly. Not just this, which Marcus never did, but everything about him. She knew they would have a lot to talk about, because she really did want things to change, but she was more sure than ever that she couldn't live without Haymitch.

She climaxed in a matter of minutes, and as she lay on the bed panting he moved his head up to kiss her on the mouth. She turned her face away before he could kiss her, "Gross," she laughed. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Hot," he replied. He lay down beside her and she cuddled into his chest, still giddy from her orgasm.

"Damn you," she said with a smile and punched him teasingly in the side.

"What?" he looked at her innocently.

"You knew I'd give in," she replied.

"You always do," he smiled.

"Yeah…" she trailed off. He really was her addiction. "Do you want to have sex?" she said as she trailed her hand across the hem of his pants.

"Yes," he replied and started to sit up. "Wait, was that a trick question?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"If I say yes, are you gonna think I only did that so we'd have sex? Because I did it to get you back," he replied.

"I know," she answered with a smile and started to unhook his belt.

* * *

The next morning they talked, for a very long time. It was the first time in a while that they talked seriously, without yelling. They struck a deal that seemed to satisfy them both. Effie would let him drink, without interfering, but she wouldn't bring him to the Sponsor Viewing Centre unless she got a hold of one that seemed interested. And Haymitch agreed he'd sober-up and put on an act long enough to talk to anyone interested in helping one of the kids. He really doubted this would happen anytime soon, so it was really a good deal.

It stopped them from fighting as much in the next few years, since the sponsors were mostly what they had argued about. Haymitch was usually good about helping the kids while they were in the Training Centre, but he hated dealing with Capitol people. Their deal kept Effie hopeful that if it came time for Haymitch to step-up, he would.

Her parents were really disappointed when she told them she'd broken off the engagement. But then, she was used to disappointing them by now.

**AN: I know I use the word "respect" a lot in this chapter, but that's not because I lost my thesaurus. I just think that's something Effie would care a lot about, so she'd want to emphasize it.**


	6. The 73rd Hunger Games

**AN: **Ever wonder why Haymitch hugged Effie on stage during Katniss's Reaping? What made him miss her so much? Well *drum roll* here's what happened the previous year! Warning: lots of Haymitch/Effie arguing. Not exactly a fluffy chapter. The next one will be though. Plus, the next one has Katniss and Peeta! But, onto this one…

* * *

**The 73****rd**** Hunger Games**

Effie had never been as angry with him as she was during the 73rd Hunger Games, not even the year when she broke up with him. That year, she had mostly been exhausted from all the fighting, but this time, she was livid.

They'd made a deal during the 70th Games. Effie would let Haymitch avoid the Sponsor Viewing Centre unless she found somebody who was interested in their tributes. This deal had kept their relationship pretty stable so far, and managed to keep their relationship separate from the Games. It let Haymitch drink without her interfering, and avoid snobby Capitol people. And Effie held onto the hope that he would help her if she needed him.

Which was why in the 73rd Hunger Games, when she found an interested sponsor, and it was time for Haymitch to uphold his end of the bargain, she was furious when he refused to help.

"What do you _mean_ you're not going to do it!?" Effie shrieked as she stood glaring down at him. He was sloped down on the couch and she stood above him with her hands on her hips. She was out of breath from practically running all the way back to the Training Centre.

"Just as I said, sweetheart. Is you wig covering your ears?" Haymitch said lazily, not looking at her.

"HAYMITCH!" he flinched slightly. "You _promised_ me!"

"I didn't promise you anything."

"Yes you did! Don't try to back out of it now! We agreed that if there was ever a chance at a sponsor you would come with me and actually help!" Haymitch shrugged non-committally. "You DID!" She waited a few seconds and when he didn't say anything she went on. "Listen, it's this old…well actually she's a bit younger than me but she looks old because she has this hideous gray wig, but anyway that's not the point. She's a rich socialite whose husband just died, and now she wants to use all his money to sponsor a tribute. And she said she's had a crush on you since your Games," Haymitch snorted. "Yes, yes I don't understand it either. The great drunken Haymitch Abernathy, God's gift to women," she sneered down at him and he looked up at her, faking a hurt expression.

"Now now, sweetheart, what did we say about name calling?" he said mockingly.

"Oh shut up," she snapped. "You are drunk, that's not name calling. But _anyway_, it's basically a sure thing. So get up and come with me before it's too late. COFFEE!" she screamed at the Avox who was quietly standing in the dining room.

"Manners," Haymitch muttered.

"Please!" Effie added to the girl's retreating back. She took a moment to look over Haymitch, and was glad he didn't have a drink on him. She knew he would over-power her if she tried to physically take one away from him. "When was the last time you had a drink?"

Haymitch shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe an hour ago."

"Good, good," Effie muttered and started to pace. "So listen, she was positively _giddy_ about meeting you, so try to flirt, okay?" she looked over at where he was sitting, but he had stood up and was on his way past her. "Where are you going?" she asked and grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Don't grab me," he growled and yanked his arm away.

"You grab me all the time," she retorted.

"Yeah, but it's sexy when I do it," he said with a wink. Effie rolled her eyes as the Avox girl came back with a tray of coffee.

"Oh, why thank you, dear," Effie lapsed back into her Capitol accent. "Why don't you pour Mr. Abernathy a big mug full, hmm? Black." As the red-head started to pour Haymitch started to walk away again.

"Where are you going?" Effie asked, more frantic this time.

"Away. To bed. I'm not doing this. And you shouldn't either. Just…relax. They never win, Effie," he finished in a dejected tone and walked to his room. Effie had half a mind to jump on his back to get him to stop, but she knew that wouldn't accomplish anything.

"But you _promised!_" she repeated as she ran after him. He waved her off and slammed his door, locking her out.

Effie yelled at him through the door for a good half hour until he finally opened it and started yelling back. It took her another half hour to convince him to come with her, and another two hours before he was finally sober enough to face the sponsors. Then he had to get dressed in the proper clothes, and Effie had to get washed up and get changed before they left, since their argument had left her sweating and her make-up running. She had only cried a little, but still. By the time they were ready to leave, she hoped it wasn't too late to help Eli, their remaining tribute. She was fuming with anger at how long Haymitch had taken to finally agree to come with her, and he knew it. As he made a joke in the elevator, it took all her willpower to not kick him in the shins.

When they got to the Sponsor Viewing Centre, they received the greetings she'd expected, from mentors and escorts commenting on how they hadn't seen Haymitch there in ages. Effie led him to where Hortensia Nettlebottom had been when she left her. She hoped beyond hope that she was still there. When they reached the spot, Hortensia jumped up and giggled as she ran towards them. She was tall and lanky and dressed mostly in black with a horrible gray wig. There was a giant dark purple flower pinned to her blouse that was in danger of hitting anyone within two feet of her. Effie suppressed a glare as the woman took her hand.

"Hello again, Effie. And who's this handsome fellow?" she didn't waste time.

"Hortensia Nettlebottom, I'd like you to meet Haymitch Abernathy, the victor of the second Quarter Quell," Effie said grandly and noticed Haymitch barely suppress a grin at the sound of the woman's name. But he expertly turned it into a wining smile and kissed Hortensia's hand. Effie breathed an internal sigh of relief as Haymitch turned on the charm. She got a glimpse of his old self as he schmoozed with Hortensia, and Effie was almost starting to relax, when the cannon blasted. She turned her head sharply to the screen.

Eli lay spread-eagle on the hard cement ground, thrown from the roof he had been safety huddled on moments ago. They were too late. Haymitch had delayed it too long and the only hope they'd had for a sponsor didn't mean squat anymore. Effie had been watching Haymitch, so she didn't see the other tribute approach, she didn't know who killed Eli, but as she averted her gaze from her tribute's cracked skull, she felt a white hot anger rise up, more anger than she'd felt at Haymitch for a very very long time. She was so angry that she couldn't even speak, and she didn't even want to. She felt dangerous. She was beyond screaming. There was no point in screaming anymore, it wouldn't do any good. As the anger boiled inside her chest, she clenched her jaw and walked away from Haymitch, unable to be near him for fear she might actually murder him. He had flopped down on a couch when he saw Eli's dead body, and Hortensia was prattling on beside him. Effie was glad he looked guilty, but that only sparked her anger. She noticed he'd gotten a drink from somewhere, which made her angrier still.

She walked away from them silently, on her way to District 12's private viewing room where she could fume in peace, and maybe write Haymitch a furious letter, or novel, when the escort from District 5 stopped her. She barely listened as he went on about this and that, and she managed to croak out a few sentences in reply. Her voice sounded foreign to her but she doubted he noticed. She was imagining exactly what to say to Haymitch that would hurt him the most, when she saw her companion laugh as he looked over her shoulder. Effie turned and followed his gaze across the Centre and it fell on Haymitch, in plain view, kissing Hortensia full on the mouth. Effie's stone face broke into a silent gasp, and she felt a moment of sorrow before her anger boiled over and she marched furiously over to the couch.

"HAYMITCH!" she barked before she reached them. He looked over at her guiltily but didn't move.

"This is inappropriate!" she said, somehow, miraculously, falling into her typical escort act when all she wanted to do was curse like a sailor. She yanked his arm up, hard, and felt a flicker of surprise that she was able to pull him up so easily. Adrenaline, she figured. She dragged him away through the crowd as people gave cat-calls or laughed.

She practically threw him into the viewing room before slamming the door behind them. They spoke at the same time.

"What the hell was that!?" Effie screamed.

"Thank you," Haymitch gasped and fell into a chair.

"_What_?" Effie shrilled.

"Thank you," Haymitch repeated and smiled at her.

"Thank you? _Thank you_?" Effie screeched.

"Yeah, for rescuing me from that…woman," he said as he made a repulsed face.

"What? Rescuing…What are you talking about?" Effie demanded.

"What, you don't think I _wanted_ to kiss her, do you?" Haymitch laughed slightly as he stood up and walked over to her, swaying a little. Over his shoulder she could see every eye in the Viewing Centre watching them, but she didn't care. At least nobody could hear them.

"Well, you weren't exactly fighting her off!" Effie yelled.

"Oh I wanted to, trust me. But I didn't think you'd want me to," Haymitch replied.

"What are you talking about? Of course I'd want - " Effie started.

"She's a sponsor, Effie. Aren't you always saying we have to be nice to sponsors?" Haymitch asked, far too calmly for her liking. She hated when she was hysterical and he was rational. It made her feel like an idiot.

"Yes but…you're not supposed to kiss them either!"

Haymitch laughed again; it was driving her crazy. "I didn't, she kissed me. And I figured if I pushed her off and called her a disgusting whore, you'd have something else to yell at me about." He stroked her upper arm but she moved roughly away from him.

"Don't," she snapped.

"Listen, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know what else to do. But then you rescued me, so it's okay." She smiled at her again and her glare deepened. "What, you think I want to kiss some ugly Capitol bitch when I could be kissing you?" She felt some of the anger over the kiss melt away. He was right, there was really nothing else he could do except sit there and let Hortensia kiss him. And she really did believe that he didn't want to kiss her. But as her anger over the kiss faded a little, the deeper rage resurfaced. She was still fuming over Haymitch's broken promise. Over his irresponsibility. Over his delay in coming here, and letting their tribute die.

"AND?" Effie moved away from him again and crossed her arms.

"And what?" Haymitch asked, confused. Effie's glare deepened but she didn't say anything, waiting for him to figure it out. "And, I love you?" Haymitch tried.

"Ha!" Effie said without a bit of humour. "You don't even know. You don't even have a clue?"

Haymitch sighed, "Well then explain it to me, sweetheart. I'm very tired and very drunk."

Effie laughed again. "Exactly. Exactly! You're drunk, again. And you let another tribute die because your precious - "

"I did NOT - "

"You did so! You promised, if I let you drink as much as you want, if I stopped trying to make you stop, then you would help me, if I did all the work! I talked to all the sponsors, by myself, all these years. And all you did was sit in the penthouse drinking your face off! All I asked of you is that if, _if_, there was ever the hope of a sponsor you would pull yourself together and talk to them. That's all I asked, Haymitch. And we both knew there was a very slim chance of that happening. But it did. It _did_. This woman was ready to sponsor him but you had to waste four fucking hours whining and wallowing and just being an all around pain in my ass before you did anything to help him! What kind of a mentor are you?"

"I never asked to be a mentor!" Haymitch screamed at her.

"Yes, well I never asked to be a babysitter to a drunken moron who -"

"Don't call my that," he snapped.

"Which one? Drunk, or moron, beca- "

"Either! You think you're so goddam perfect, don't you? You think you're Panem's answer to the perfect little escort? Waltzing around in your pretty little shoes and your ridiculous clothes, all the while _suffering_ while old Haymitch -"

"Yes, yes I do think that, because it's true! All I ever do is -"

"Well you're not as perfect as you think you are! You're…selfish, you know that?"

"Wha…me? ME? Selfish? Haymitch you are the most self- "

"Don't turn this on me, sweetheart. Oh, there are a million ways you could prove I'm selfish, and maybe I'm not denying it. But you…_you_. Do you ever stop and consider what this, what all of this," he threw his arms up to gesture to the room, to the Sponsor Centre, to the entire Hunger Games, "does to me? How coming here every year to play their little game is like…hell?" Effie stood silent, with her mouth hanging slightly open, not knowing how to react. "No, no you don't, do you? Oh, you can be all high and mighty as you help the little kiddies. Why of course, you're the most selfless person ever. All you think about is helping them, right? Well what about _me_?"

Effie's glare faded a little. It was true, she realized. She did think about helping the kids a lot more than she thought about Haymitch's feelings. She recognized them, of course. She comforted him whenever he needed it. She knew the Games weren't easy for him to relive every year, but she just sort of…well…she expected him to get past it. She realized she probably did expect too much of him.

"Exactly. Exactly, you don't even have an answer. You're probably standing there thinking, '_What about you?'"_ Haymitch mimicked her voice.

"No. No, that's not what I was thinking!" Effie flushed. "I was actually thinking that maybe you're right. Maybe I do expect too much from you, but - "

"But! But! There's always a _but_. It's can't just be, _'I'm sorry Haymitch, I'll stop trying to make you save kids who don't stand a chance, because I know how much -'_"

"You make it sound like it's the worst thing in the world! This is _your _district, Haymitch! All I ever do is try to help _your_ district!" she felt tears coming but tried her best to stop them. She was furious, and she didn't want to ruin it by crying. "I can't just sit by and do _nothing_. Just let them go in there and _die_! But you don't even seem to care! And _I'm _selfish? Yes, yes fine, maybe I don't always think about your feelings. But maybe that's because I think you're more than just a wasted victor. Maybe I know that if you put your mind to it, you can actually accomplish something. You can actually serve a purpose beyond just…surviving. Beyond drinking everyday and coming to the Capitol once a year to dress fancy and eat nice food. But how would _you_ feel? If your child was chosen -"

"I don't have a child," Haymitch interrupted.

"I know that, obviously," Effie snapped. "Imagine if it was your brother, then. If - "

"_Don't_ talk about my brother," Haymitch growled, stepping dangerously close to her.

Effie shivered a little but kept going, fueled by blind rage, "If he was chosen as tribute, but the _one_ man who was supposed to help him just got drunk and did nothing! No wonder everyone in your district hates you!"

She regretted it as soon as she said it and the look on Haymitch's face told her that if she were a man she'd be on the floor by now.

He wanted to hit her, hard, but instead he grabbed her arms and kissed her savagely. He didn't even enjoy it, but he liked the rush of power as he held her firmly and she struggled against him. He was usually able to end their fight with a kiss, and he hoped this one would calm them both down. But it didn't. He didn't flinch as she kicked him but he released her when she suddenly bit him hard on the lip. As his hand moved to check for blood she pushed him away roughly, panting. She was suddenly aware of all the eyes in the Viewing Centre still watching them. Panic started to rise.

"I'm leaving. Tonight!" Effie shouted and left the room before anything else could happen. She slammed the door and ran down the utility stairwell that normally only the attendants use.

Haymitch stayed in the private room until everyone left for the night, ordering several more drinks and avoiding looking out the window. When he got back to the penthouse that night, the Avox girl handed him a note, written in Effie's neat handwriting.

_Haymitch_

_I have gone back to my apartment, I need some time away from you. I don't want us to break up again. You are to take a Games taxi back to the train station in the morning; I have reserved a ticket to take you home. I suggest you leave as early as possible, to avoid any further problems. I will handle any damage that may occur as a result of what happened tonight. See you next year._

_- Effie_

The next morning, Haymitch didn't remember exactly what they'd said, and he couldn't quite remember what she had said to make him so mad at the end. As he re-read Effie's note over and over, he knew this was the biggest fight they'd had since the 69th Games. But at least this time she hadn't broken up with him. He knew she never would again, since they were too attached at this point, but he still wished she hadn't left.

Effie did in fact have to do a lot of damage control. When she got home there were already about 20 messages on her answering machine, and the phone calls kept coming. She got a stern talking-to from Plutarch. He sympathized with her, but also told he'd had to smooth things over with the other Gamemakers to keep them off her back. He did however assure her that her parents didn't know anything about the kiss, which she preferred. Ultimately, the whole thing was basically forgotten within a week, since everybody else was far too preoccupied with the Games to care about an escort from an outlining district.

* * *

No matter how angry Effie was with Haymitch for letting the sponsor slip away, there was still something she needed to confirm. It was a nagging feeling that she knew wouldn't go away until she saw it for herself. Because as much as she hated Haymitch right now, she still loved him, and she couldn't let anyone else get between them.

When she went to the Sponsor Viewing Centre security office about a week after the incident, she knew she wouldn't have a problem viewing the tapes. Luckily, security here was run by Hunger Games personnel, not Peacekeepers, so she had very little trouble convincing them to show her the tapes she wanted. They even gave her a little private room to view them in, which briefly made her suspicious, but the kid was young and probably star-struck, so she didn't dwell on it.

As she sat in the room, she heard Eli's cannon go off and watched Haymitch flop down on the couch. Hortensia sat down beside him and ordered him a drink. She was flirting as he blatantly ignored her, but she didn't seem to notice. Effie saw herself fuming beside them. Her face was blank but she remembered how she felt. She walked out of the shot and after Haymitch's third drink, which didn't take very long, Hortensia said something that she clearly thought was very funny and kissed him. Effie saw Haymitch's whole body tense at the woman's touch. His left hand was on the armrest and it gripped the fabric tightly, and his right arm lay in his lap, but briefly rose as if he was about to push her away, but he stopped himself and let it drop back down. As Effie watched his face she knew he wasn't kissing back. He sat perfectly still with his eyes open, as she kissed him fervently. Effie saw all this, now, but as she watched herself walk angrily up to them, she remembered how it had looked to her the first time.

She watched Haymitch's face as she approached him onscreen. When she said his name he looked over at her, with what she had originally thought was guilt, but she now recognized as relief. He backed away from the woman before Effie even grabbed his arm. Effie had thought it was adrenaline that allowed her to easily yank him up, but she realized Haymitch had pushed himself off the couch. As she dragged him away he looked grateful and bewildered.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she realized he was telling the truth. She had believed him before, but seeing it cemented it in her mind. She watched the scene a few more time, zooming in on certain things, before she moved on the other tape.

The camera focused on her face as she talked to the escort from District 5. She wanted to see her own reaction, wanted to see if it gave her feelings away. She had succeeded in blaming her and Haymitch's kiss on his drunkenness, but she wanted to see if there was any room for doubt. Effie watched herself as she turned to face Haymitch and Hortensia, and she remembered the immediate feeling of shock, quickly followed by blind rage. As she watched, she saw her mouth drop open in a silent gasp, but her eyes gave away something she hadn't intended. It was complete sorrow. It was only for a second, until she glared daggers, and nobody could say she was anything but furious at the man, but for that split second, her eyes revealed how she truly felt. She quickly turned the tape off and sighed. It was less than a second, and she was sure nobody had noticed since they were too busy staring at Haymitch and Hortensia, but seeing her own reaction made Effie realize that losing Haymitch would be worse than any argument they had. Although she was still furious at him now, she knew that as soon as she saw him again next year, she probably wouldn't be able to resist him. As long as he apologized…or maybe if he didn't, she admitted to herself. But she certainly wasn't making the first move.

* * *

Haymitch wrote her a letter after a few months. He didn't exactly apologize, but he did acknowledge that they had a lot to talk about. He wrote another, a little more desperate, until she finally sent a short reply back.

_Haymitch_

_I'm sorry for anything I said that hurt you. I will see you at the next Games. We'll talk then._

_- Effie_

And he knew that meant there was nothing more to say for now. Besides, he wasn't sure if it was safe to send letters anymore. The Gamemakers knew about their relationship, and now the other escorts, mentors, and sponsors had their suspicions too. And even though it wasn't technically against the rules, he had a feeling they may be watched a lot more closely from now on.


	7. The 74th Hunger Games: The Reaping

**AN: **The next few dozen or so chapters include stuff from the books, even direct lines, so I'd just like to say, right off the bat, that everything that is a direct quote or plot point belongs to Suzanne Collins.

Also, I have a new-found respect for anyone who writes fics based on actual scenes from books/movies/tv shows, because it's damn hard and annoying to make stuff sync up properly. Like, there's stuff characters say in the book that I don't want them to say, but I have to work around it and/or explain it away. Especially Peeta. One thing he said made me have to re-do a whole scene. Damn you, Peeta.

Also, it's really really annoying to go straight from reading first-person present tense to writing third-person past tense. It messes with your mind…

* * *

**The 74****th**** Hunger Games: The Reaping**

Effie was still angry with Haymitch by the time the 74th Games rolled around. She didn't want to deal with him in Victor's Village, where she suspected he would be drunk, so when she arrived in District 12 she asked some Peacekeepers to pick him up. She didn't exactly trust that they would put him together as well as she could, but she didn't want to be alone with him until they were on the train, and she had some control. She hoped beyond hope that there would be at least one promising tribute this year, so maybe he would try a bit harder to sober-up.

She waited for Haymitch in the Justice Building as long as she could, until it was time for her to go on stage. Mayor Undersee came out a few minutes later and sat down beside her.

"Where's Haymitch?" he murmured immediately.

"I sent the Peacekeepers to get him," Effie whispered back with fake confidence.

"That's highly irregular, Miss Trinket. Escorting Haymitch is _your_ job," the mayor said with more than a hint of disapproval. Effie had nothing to say in her defence, so she just looked in concern at Haymitch's empty chair. The mayor followed her gaze, as the town clock struck two. Haymitch was now officially late. Effie hoped none of the camera operators chose to focus on his empty seat.

The mayor rose first, and just as he finished his speech, Effie saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She vaguely saw two Peacekeepers emerge from the sea of white uniforms to her right, and push Haymitch towards the stage. As if on cue, the mayor read his name off the list of victors. Haymitch ascended to the stage and looked straight at Effie and hollered something that she thought might have been, "You were late," before falling into the chair beside her.

As the crowd applauded loudly and howled with laughter, he tried to hug her. He smelled like whiskey and she suspected he hadn't showered in a while. She inwardly cursed herself for not helping him clean up, but she managed to fend off his hug. Thankfully, the mayor introduced her right away. As Effie stood up, she felt her wig shift to the side. She put on a huge fake smile, but was embarrassed and angry as she recited the speech she had memorized long ago. She held her breath as she smoothed out the first tribute's name.

"Primrose Everdeen," Effie's voice rang out clearly and hung in the air of the courtyard.

As the girl stepped forward, Effie felt the pang of guilt she always felt when a younger child was called. The one this year was especially small, and looked especially nervous. But suddenly, unexpectedly, there was a volunteer. District 12 had never had a volunteer in the 18 years Effie had been there, and she wracked her brain to think of the correct procedure.

Effie couldn't think straight because all she could think about was that a volunteer meant someone _wanted_ to be in the Games, someone _wanted_ to fight. At least, that's what it meant in the other districts. The mayor cast her ramblings about procedure aside, and as the dark-haired girl came forward, Primrose screamed for her to stay. Effie knew right away that this wasn't a normal volunteer; there was a personal connection. This girl was sacrificing herself for someone she loved. Effie swelled with respect for the older girl and smiled broadly, not even faking it. She hoped Haymitch was paying attention and could figure out the best way to play this.

"Well bravo!" Effie gushed. "That's the spirit of the Games! What's your name?"

The girl swallowed hard, "Katniss Everdeen."

"I bet my buttons that was your sister. Don't want her to steal all the glory, do we?" Effie trilled, keeping up her Capitol act. The next sentence was genuine though. "Come on, everybody! Let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!" To Effie's amazement, not one person clapped. She was angry for a second, not understanding why they weren't acknowledging the girl's sacrifice. Then one by one, the crowd brought the three middle fingers of their left hand up to their lips, then held them out to Katniss. Effie didn't recognize the salute, but when she saw the emotion on the girl's face, she knew it was meaningful.

Suddenly, Haymitch staggered out of his chair and hollered, "Look at her. Look at this one!" He threw an arm across Katniss's shoulders and Effie saw the girl waver under his strength. He turned to look directly at Effie, "I like her!" he said, before addressing the crowd again. "Lots of…spunk! More than you!" he released Katniss and walked to the front of the stage. "More than you!" he shouted, pointing directly into a camera.

Effie barely had time to panic over his taunting words, undoubtedly aimed at the Capitol, before he fell off the stage and a new reason to panic took over. She ran to the front of the stage and peered over the edge, setting her wig even more askew. She could tell that he was unconscious, but thankfully the medics arrived in a flash to take him away on a stretcher. She watched as they disappeared past the corner of the Justice Building, then pulled herself together again to finish the ceremony. She went through it mechanically, worrying about Haymitch the whole time.

Had she been paying more attention, she would have noticed the tension between the two tributes, as she had with Bo and Iris. She would have noticed the way Katniss tensed when Peeta's name was called, the confusion on her face as the mayor's speech droned on. The nervous way Peeta kept glancing at Katniss, and the reassuring look he gave her when they shook hands. But Effie didn't notice any of that. All she was thinking about was Haymitch, foolishly challenging the Capitol, falling off the stage, losing consciousness. She needed to see him, now, and she needed to figure out if he was in danger.

* * *

As soon as the ceremony was over, Effie left the kids with the Peacekeepers and ran to a medic to find out where they'd taken Haymitch. The medic directed her to the second story of the left wing, but when she got there they refused to let her see him. Knowing the Peacekeepers in 12, they would have probably given in if she pressed hard enough, but she didn't want to draw any more attention to the situation. They did however assure her he was alive, and that it was a minor injury, so she walked away with that thought in mind.

She needed to find a quiet place to think. Most of the doors in the building were locked, but she found an abandoned hallway and sat on a bench. In the hour or so she had before she had to pick up the tributes, she figured out what to do.

It was quite simple, really, when she thought about it. She would call her father. He was the Secretary of Defence. Fifth in command in Snow's Cabinet. It was a ridiculously high position that Effie tried to forget about most of the time, even though it was probably one of the few things that kept her safe all these years. She knew the Training Centre must have microphones everywhere, yet she'd never been investigated for any of the treacherous things she'd said about the Hunger Games, or the Capitol as a whole. She had a feeling her father was somehow protecting her. Or maybe the Gamemakers knew nobody liked the Games once they were a part of them for long enough, so they let things slide. Either way, calling her father was her best bet.

Of course, she would have to wait until she was on the train to call him. She didn't trust any of the phones here, even if she could find one. So until then, she sat thinking about their new tributes.

The boy. Effie hadn't really been paying attention when he was called. He wasn't very tall, but he looked tough enough, and he was handsome. He was definitely well fed, so he was obviously from town. He might do well, she decided.

And the girl. She didn't look like much, but her bravery was unquestionable. She had volunteered for her sister, so clearly she was protective. More than anyone else in District 12, apparently, since some of their other tributes had older siblings who hadn't volunteered for them. Someone that protective…well, Effie hoped she would be willing to do whatever it took to win the Games, to give her sister a better life.

As the town clock struck three, Effie raced down the stairs and arrived just in time to escort the kids out to the car. When Haymitch wasn't there she started to panic again, but a Peacekeeper told her he was already on the train. As she sat with the kids for the short ride to the station, she finally got a better look at them.

The girl's face was wiped clean of emotion, in fact she looked almost bored. That was good, Effie decided. She knew how to look strong, indifferent. It was a look the Careers often had. The boy was the exact opposite. He had obviously been crying and didn't try to hide it. Now that Effie got a better look at him, she noticed just how broad his shoulder were, and she realized he was probably very strong. Showing emotion may not be a bad strategy for him.

Effie desperately wished Haymitch was there, the old Haymitch, the one who analyzed the tributes strengths and thought of winning strategies. Well, not winning, so far, but she had a feeling this year was going to be different.

**AN: Please review, even if it's short! I love to hear what people think of my stories :)**


	8. The 74th Hunger Games: The Tributes

**AN: **As I'm sure you've noticed, my chapters are now much shorter and they don't each focus on a single Games. This was my plan from the beginning. I wanted to have a brief intro into Haymitch and Effie's relationship by focusing on specific Games from their past. But now that it's the 74th Games, I wanted to make the whole thing a lot longer, therefore I have to divide it. Basically, I want to avoid really long chapters.

I hope you like this one! I really do, for a number of reasons. :)

* * *

**The 74****th**** Hunger Games: The Tributes**

When they got on the train, Effie led Peeta to his room first, then Katniss. She told them what she always told tributes, to do whatever they wanted and wear whatever they wanted, but to be ready for dinner in an hour. Then, she took off at a brisk pace to Haymitch's room, where she hoped he was resting.

As she approached his door, she noticed two attendants standing outside. She panicked for a second, until one of them told her that the medics had advised them to keep an eye on Haymitch since his fall. She breathed a sigh of relief as she entered his room; for a moment she had thought the Capitol was guarding him because of his little speech.

She was relieved to find him sleeping, more soundly then usual. As concerned as she was, she still wasn't ready to talk to him yet. She sat on the edge of the bed and lightly brushed a strand of dark hair off his forehead. That's when she noticed an empty pill bottle on his night-stand. She didn't recognize the name of the medicine, but she figured it must be a pain killer. As she read the label she couldn't help but notice the bold writing that said, 'AVOID USE WITH ALCOHOL.' She snorted quietly and stood up.

She opened the door and quietly ordered an attendant to clear all the alcohol off the train. She knew Haymitch wouldn't be happy about it, but at least she had a valid reason this time. She went back into the room to look for his flask, but after about 15 minutes of searching she couldn't find it, so she gave up. She had something more important to do, and she hoped it would take less than 45 minutes.

Effie left the room and ordered the remaining attendant to notify her if Haymitch woke up, and to keep an eye out for his flask. Then she went to her room to call her father. She called her parent's house first to confirm he was still at work, and made idle chit-chat with her mother for a few minutes. Then she had to call about five different government departments before she finally got a hold of him.

"Hello?" a deep male voice answered impatiently.

"Hi, dad. It's Effie," she said, in the fake friendly voice she always used around him.

"I know that," he snapped, "who else would be calling me from a train?"

"Oh, right," she giggled stupidly. "So, did you watch the Reapings?" Effie asked, trying to calm herself. Talking to her father always made her nervous and upset.

"Of course I did," he snapped again. "Your first volunteer, congratulations," he added with a hint of sarcasm.

"Yes, thank you," Effie laughed. "But that's not what I'm calling about."

"I know what you're calling about, and don't worry. Your…_friend_, is safe. For now." Effie knew he was referring to Haymitch, by his disgusted tone. Her parents had eventually found out about him kissing her in the Sponsor Centre, and even though she'd tried to explain it away, her father still wasn't pleased. If only he knew the extent of it…

"For now?" Effie asked, unable to keep her voice from shaking slightly.

"I would have heard by now if there was to be a further investigation. But the mayor and Head Peacekeeper of District 12 assured us he's a drunk who is not to be taken seriously."

"Yes, of course he isn't. He probably didn't even know where he was," Effie said quickly.

"He seemed to know _you_ well enough," her father replied. She could picture the condescending smirk on his face.

"Yes, well…" she trailed off.

"You need to get out of that District, Effie. It's beneath you," he launched into the lecture her parents gave her almost ever time they saw her.

"Yes dad, I know. I keep telling you I ask for a transfer every year, but there's no spots available," her voice rose in anger. Truthfully, she did ask for a transfer every year, to keep up appearances, but she never tried very hard to get it. She got the feeling she should play up her annoyance with District 12 this year. Her father always liked to give her subtle hints like this. She wasn't expecting the next one though.

"Keep your voice down, Effie. Why must I always tell you to use you indoor voice?" he said, as if this was a perfectly natural thing for him to say. It wasn't. In her whole life she couldn't remember him once using that expression. Her great-grandmother used it, it was an old expression, and Effie immediately got the hint. The Capitol was listening. District 12 wasn't going to be ignored anymore, now that Haymitch had challenged them. No matter how much she disliked her father, she was glad she understood him.

"I'm sorry. I will," she replied politely. "Well, thank you for providing me with that information."

"You're welcome, dear. Happy Hunger Games," he said, with that same hint of sarcasm, and hung up before she had a chance to say good-bye. She breathed a sigh of relief and went to the door. There had been a knock a few minutes ago, but she had ignored it.

"Yes?" she asked the attendant who stood in the doorway.

"Miss Trinket, Mr. Abernathy left his room a few minutes ago, but I saw him go back in just now," the boy said professionally.

"Thank you," she said with a quick nod, "anything else?"

"No. He seems fine," the attendant replied and Effie gave a quick nod and shut the door again. She only had a few minutes to get ready for dinner.

* * *

When Effie went to get Peeta and Katniss for dinner, Peeta wasn't in his room. As she entered the dining car with Katniss, they found that he was already sitting at the table, the chair beside him empty.

"Where's Haymitch?" Effie asked brightly.

"Last time I saw him, he said he was going to take a nap," Peeta replied.

"Well, it's been an exhausting day," Effie said, relieved that he was resting and not drinking. Peeta must have seen him when the attendant said he left his room. She trusted he would keep an eye on him for the night.

The kids were shocked, like they were every year, by all the food that came out for dinner. Effie had to keep reminding them to save room for more. She made a comment about their good manners, but at the last second remembered her father's warning that the Capitol was listening, so she threw in an insult at the end about the kids last year eating like savages. The Gamemakers didn't like the escorts to be too nice to the tributes, but she'd gotten away with it until now. In response, Katniss dropped her cutlery and started eating with her hands. Effie had to purse her lips to keep from laughing. Haymitch was right, she did have spunk.

Like every year, the kids looked a little sick after their meal, but Effie assured them it was for the best to eat as much food as possible now. Once the Games started, they wouldn't get enough of it. When they went into the adjoining room to watch the recap of the Reapings, Effie told them to try not to remember the other tributes names.

"Why not?" asked Peeta.

"It's easier, dear," Effie said kindly.

"In case we have to kill them," Katniss said harshly. "Thanks for the tip, but it's kind of obvious," she added, but made a mental note to stop remembering their names.

Effie breathed in sharply as District 12 was introduced. She knew Katniss volunteering would be a big deal, but she was also afraid of what the commentators would say about Haymitch's outburst.

"Now finally, District 12," Claudius Templesmith said in his booming voice as 12's coat of arms flashed across the screen.

"The coal mining district," Caesar Flickerman reminded anyone who didn't know, which in the Capitol was probably everyone. They showed some shots of the crowd in 12 before immediately cutting to Effie reading Primrose's name. "Oh, another 12 year old it looks - " Caesar started before Katniss's shout cut him off.

"A volunteer!" Claudius exclaimed and they watched the confusion on stage. "You know, I don't remember the last time District 12 had a volunteer."

"No, and apparently, neither does their escort," they both laughed lightly as Effie stumbled over her words and she glared at the television. The commentators remained silent as Prim begged Katniss not to go and the older girl spoke to her harshly through her tears. They gasped dramatically after Katniss announced her name. When the crown silently saluted her, Claudius and Caesar didn't know what to make of it.

"What are they doing?" Claudius asked in confusion.

"Well, you know, District 12 has always been a bit backward, but local customs can be charming," Caesar replied. Effie had always been grateful for his ability to make the best of any situation.

Then Haymitch came staggering towards Katniss, and both commentators looked as if they were holding in laughter. They groaned comically when he fell off the stage.

"More than _me_?" Caesar asked, feigning shock.

"I think you have plenty of spunk, Caesar," Claudius reassured him, grinning back.

"Why thank you, Claudius! So do you!" Caesars beamed and slapped him on the back. They laughed as Haymitch was taken away on the stretcher. "Well that was a nice little comedic relief," Caesar added. Effie was grateful they managed to turn the whole thing into a joke. She hoped they made it look as if Haymitch was talking to all of Panem, not just the Capitol, or the Gamemakers, or Snow. But she was also a little worried that Haymitch's interruption may have overshadowed Katniss's sacrifice. They needed the sponsors to remember her bravery.

"Yes, and here comes a bit of another one," Claudius replied and they both laughed lightly as they watched Effie's wig wobble dangerously on her head. "That sure was a big hug Haymitch gave her earlier," he concluded. That scene had been cut out for the recap, but obviously all of Panem had seen it earlier. Effie wondered what they had said about it then.

"Aw, well I'm sure he _missed_ her," Caesar said. "And after the send-off I heard they had last year…" he trailed off as Peeta's name was called and he gushed about how handsome he was. Effie glared at the screen as Peeta gave her a confused look.

"What was he talking about?" Peeta asked her.

"Shh," Effie replied quickly and motioned for him to keep watching.

Caesar spoke again as Katniss and Peeta shook hands, "Well, this may be an interesting year for District 12."

"Yes, if their escort can manage to keep her wig on," Claudius retorted and they both laughed as the Capitol seal flashed across the screen and the anthem rang out. They always liked to end on a joke.

"Wig indeed," Effie muttered under her breath. Haymitch had managed to turn what may have been a powerful scene of courage and sacrifice into a comic relief. She turned to the tributes, "Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation. A lot about televised behaviour."

Peeta laughed, "He was drunk. He's drunk every year."

"Every day," Katniss added with a smirk.

Effie's anger boiled over. How could they make a joke out of this? "Yes," she hissed, "how odd you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors, and dictates the presentation of any gifts. Haymitch can well be the difference between your life and your death!"

As if on cue, Haymitch staggered into the compartment. "I miss supper?" he slurred, clearly drunk. He vomited all over the expensive carpet and fell into the mess.

"So laugh away!" Effie shouted as she hopped around the pool of vomit and fled the room. She walked away quickly to find the attendant she'd left with Haymitch and blow up at him. She got a nagging feeling that she should have stayed and helped Haymitch, but she was far too angry with him right now, and besides, she'd never had a strong stomach.

She found the attendant pacing nervously just outside the dining car, in the hallway that lead to Haymitch's room.

"Miss Trinket," he said apologetically before she had a chance to explode at him, "I'm sorry, I tried to take his flask away, but he was too strong. And…I think he has a few drinks stashed somewhere in his luggage." he avoided her glance and seemed to be bracing himself for a backlash, but Effie just nodded curtly.

"That's alright. Go clean him up," she replied in a relatively stable voice, and the boy nodded and ran past her.

As she lay down to sleep that night, she had basically forgotten all about what happened last year. They had new tributes to worry about, and she hoped that after they both got a good night's sleep, she could convince Haymitch that they were worth fighting for.

**AN: I love ****reviews :)  
**


	9. The 74th Hunger Games: The Strategy

**AN: **The long awaited make-up scene! Sorry it took so long to post, I didn't think I would be breaking the chapters up this much.

This chapter also answers the age-old question: what exactly happened between Effie, Haymitch, and Peeta at breakfast to make Effie mutter obscenities, Haymitch chuckle, and Peeta look embarrassed? ;)

Also, no reviews at all for the previous chapter, which makes me a little sad :(

* * *

**The 74****th**** Hunger Games: The Strategy**

Effie had just fallen asleep when she was awoken by Haymitch nuzzling up behind her. She could feel it was him right away, but he smelled clean. His stubble tickled as he gently kissed the back of her neck. She moaned deeply and moved into him, almost letting him continue, until she remember how angry she still was. She turned around to face him and hissed, "You scared me, you know that?"

Haymitch laughed lightly, "I'm sorry. You didn't sound scared though," he reached out and put his arm back across her waist. She didn't stop him; she missed the feel of him next to her.

"Not _now_. Earlier. What you said…it was dangerous," she hoped he knew what she meant. They couldn't talk candidly anymore.

She caught his frown as her eyes adjusted to the dark, "Oh, that. Yeah…it probably was. It was true though," Effie made an annoyed noise. "Plus, it made a good show," he added proudly.

"Yeah, but they were laughing, Haymitch!" Effie whispered desperately. "When they should have been focusing on Katniss volunt- "

"Oh, they won't forget about that. We'll make sure of that, right?" he reassured her.

"I guess, but - "

"But listen, we shouldn't be overlooking the boy," Haymitch said.

"Of course not. He looks strong," Effie said excitedly. She loved that they were discussing how to help the tributes again.

"He is, but there's more. He's got quite a bit of _spunk_ too," he said with a smirk. "He wants to help Katniss win."

"What?" Effie asked. It was rare that a tribute wanted to sacrifice their own life to help another tribute. "How do you know that?"

"He told me," Haymitch answered, and smiled at the look of confusion on her face. "He cleaned me up."

"But I sent an attendant to do it," Effie said.

"He sent him away, I guess," Haymitch replied with a shrug. "_But we had a nice long chat, and it looks like our dear Peeta has a little crush on Miss Everdeen_," he mimicked the Capitol accent as Effie's mouth fell open. "And he's determined to help her win. He says she needs it more."

"What do you mean?" Effie asked. From what she saw every year, any of the kids in District 12 could use a win.

Haymitch sighed, "He's the baker's son, he's got two older brothers, his family will be fine without him. But Katniss…well her father's dead, and he told me her mom's practically useless. But really, I think he just wants to save her."

"Well…well that's good…" Effie paused, wondering why this all sounded so familiar. "Like Iris and Bo…"

"Yes, exactly!" Haymitch exclaimed. "And we know how well that turned out for him." Iris's sacrifice in the arena had launched Bo's popularity with the sponsors.

They were silent for a moment. "So what's your strategy?" Effie asked.

"Give me some time, sweetheart," Haymitch laughed. "I need to know her strengths first. There's no point trying to protect her if she turns out to be useless in the end...Imagine if Bo had killed himself instead of Iris." The girl would have died in an instant, Effie knew.

"So…so you're going to talk to them, then? You're going to try to help them?" Effie asked hopefully.

"Yeah," Haymitch answered casually.

"And…sponsors?" Effie said carefully.

Haymitch sighed, "Always going on about the sponsors."

"You know how important they are, Haymit- " she started angrily.

"All right, all right, don't get excited. We have a deal, remember?" he asked. "Get a feel for them when we get to the Capitol. You know I can't talk to them until after the opening ceremonies." This was true, but she still had a terrible feeling he may avoid them again like he did last year. Even though she hadn't seen him this excited about a tribute since Bo's year.

"And will you this time?" she asked, unable to keep the accusing tone out of her voice.

Haymitch sighed, he knew where this was going. "Yes, I will, I promise. This year's going to be different, Effie. These kids have a shot, can't you feel it?" she nodded resolutely. "Good," he finished and leaned in to kiss her. She kissed back for a second but then pushed him away lightly.

"Wait. I still haven't heard an apology for what happened last year," she said in a bossy tone.

"I'm sorry," he said automatically.

Effie squinted at him accusingly. "For..."

Haymitch sighed. "For not going to the Sponsor Centre right away, and for kissing you and embarrassing you in front of everyone," he said clearly.

"Good. Thank you," Effie smiled and started to kiss him again.

"Hang on," Haymitch said teasingly and held her back. "Aren't _you_ going to apologize?"

"For what?" she said with a gasp.

"For leaving the penthouse, instead of staying so we could talk about it. That wasn't very mature of you," Haymitch said with a satisfied smirk. He loved making her admit she was wrong.

Effie glared at him, but had to concede, "Fine."

"That's not an apology," he said in a sing-song voice.

"I'm sorry," she grumbled begrudgingly. "But -"

He cut her off with a kiss and pulled her in close, grinding against her. She responded just as enthusiastically. She hated that she always gave in to him so quickly, but she wouldn't have it any other way. Besides, the make-up sex was just too good.

* * *

The next morning, as they were getting ready for breakfast, Effie received a frantic knock on the door.

She opened it a crack, making sure Haymitch would be hidden from view.

"Effie! Effie, have you seen Haymitch?" Peeta said nervously.

"Why? What's the matter, dear?" she said, concealing her nerves with her cheerful Capitol accent.

"Well I…I just want to make sure he makes it to breakfast okay," Peeta answered. Really, he wanted to make sure he wasn't drunk again.

"Relax, kid," Haymitch said loudly from behind the door. Effie tensed and turned to him, keeping her expression blank. She opened the door wider and Haymitch stepped forward. Thankfully, they were both mostly dressed. "Effie was just helping me with my tie. I can never do these damn thing up," he gave a dry laugh. Peeta breathed a sigh of relief. "And I was helping Effie with her zipper," Haymitch added and ran his fingers down the back of her dress, getting dangerously close to her ass before she batted his hand away angrily.

"Haymitch!" she snapped. She turned to Peeta and said kindly, "You go on to breakfast, we'll be in in a minute." She crossed over to Haymitch and grabbed his tie roughly. Peeta gave them a funny look but walked away down the hall. Effie dropped Haymitch's tie; she'd never been able to tie them anyway. She turned away before Haymitch could see the small smile form on her face. They'd never been too careful about hiding their relationship from the tributes, and she was certain some of them must have known about it. But still, she preferred to keep it discreet, especially after their very public kiss in the Sponsor Centre last year.

Effie left to wake up Katniss, and when she got to the dining car, Peeta and Haymitch were already there. They managed to eat their breakfast in peace for about 15 minutes, with Effie telling Peeta what all the food and drinks were called, before Haymitch took out a clear bottle and poured some strong smelling spirits into his cranberry juice.

Effie gasped in frustration, "Haymitch, you're not suppo- "

"Can it, sweetheart," he snapped and put the bottle back in his pocket. "You already got rid of all the booze on the train. Whatever happened to our agreement?"

"But you're not supposed to have alcohol with the pills they gave you! Do you want to throw up again!?" she exclaimed.

"That was yesterday," he said dismissively.

"Yes, but -"

"I'll be fine, don't get your panties in a bunch…unless it's at the foot of my bed," he added with a wink at Peeta, who blushed and concentrated hard on buttering his roll.

"That is _completely_ inappropriate!" Effie shouted and stood up angrily. Haymitch chuckled. But she wasn't about to give up. She put one hand on her hip and stretched the other one out toward him. "Give it to me! Give it to me, Haymitch!" she demanded.

"Ooh, Effie, not in front of the boy," he joked. "Save that energy for tonight!"

Effie made a sound somewhere between a sigh and a growl, grabbed her coffee, and stormed out of the room.

"I'll be paying for _that_ later," Haymitch chuckled and winked at Peeta again, whose blush deepened.

"Fucking moron, thinks he's goddamn funny," Effie muttered under her breath as she brushed past Katniss on her way out of the car.

* * *

Effie was watching the morning coverage of the Hunger Games, which was currently giving an overview of this year's stylists, when her car was suddenly plunged into darkness. They had entered the tunnel that marked their entry into the Capitol. She jumped when Haymitch came bursting into the room a few seconds later.

"I was right!" he said excitedly.

"About what?" Effie asked, standing up to greet him.

"We have fighters this year, Effie!" he exclaimed and grabbed her and danced around the room for a moment before he felt dizzy and stopped, grasping his head.

Effie laughed, "That's great! What can they do?"

"The boy, he's got more spirit than I thought," Haymitch said and gestured to his jacket, which was spotted with bits of red liquid.

"Ha, why didn't I think of that?" Effie asked.

"And he can take a punch," he added.

Effie's eyes bulged, "You didn't - Haymitch how _could_ you?"

Haymitch shrugged nonchalantly, "He'll be fine. It'll make him look tough." Effie shock her head in disgust but he ignored her and kept going. "But the girl, I think she's got what it takes to win!"

"What can she - "

"She attacked me with a knife and then threw it at the wall. It stuck right between two boards!"

Effie groaned, "Not the wall again. You know that's mahog-"

Haymitch ignored her again. "But I think she can do more. Her father…well he was a friend of mine, at school. My cousin, really -"

"You never mentioned you had a cousin," Effie said.

"So many people are related in the Seam, it doesn't really matter," Haymitch replied dismissively. "Have _you_ told me about all of _your_ cousins?" Effie shook her head. "Anyway, we weren't very good friends, I didn't have good friends, especially after I came back from the Games. His mom would look in on me sometimes when I got back, but that's it. But most people I knew started avoiding me after I started drinking, plus he had a new wife and baby to take care of. But anyway, enough heart-felt reminiscing. Hank knew how to hunt. I know he did, I would see him in the Hob all the time, with dead squirrels and birds. And I think I've seen Katniss there too. I think she can do more than just throw knives."

Effie nodded enthusiastically, and then thought of something and said sympathetically, "Do you think you want to help her win because she's your cousin's daughter?"

Haymitch sighed, "I don't know Effie, maybe. Don't get all…girly on me."

The car was surrounded with light again as the tunnel came to an end. They didn't have much time left.

"So, do you have a plan?" Effie asked hastily.

"No, I've been in here talking to you, haven't I?" he said in an annoyed voice.

"Well, what do I tell everyone?" Effie asked.

"Just…just talk about what they already know. How brave Katniss was to volunteer for her sister. How strong Peeta is. We don't want to give too much away too soon, anyway. Be…mysterious. And _don__'__t_ tell them he likes her, we'll save that for the end."

Effie nodded. "And what did you tell Katniss and Peeta? Did you say you'd help them?"

"Yeah. And so far, to do exactly what the stylists say," Haymitch replied.

"Good. Good," Effie nodded again and checked her watch. "But it's time for me to escort our tributes into the Capitol," she said, sliding back into her Capitol accent. She brushed past him but looked back before she left the room, "And change your jacket, Mr. Abernathy."

**AN: Hank Everdeen? What do you think? It was between that or Phil. I hate naming important characters who don't have names; it always makes me feel like people are going to hate it. I finally thought of a decent name for Katniss's mom, but I'm not too thrilled about it. I have the perfect name for Peeta's dad though! But you'll just have to wait and see :)**


	10. The 74th Hunger Games: The Capitol

**AN:** What do Effie and Haymitch do while Katniss gets her legs waxed for three hours? You'll see :)

* * *

**The 74****th**** Hunger Games: The Capitol**

When they arrived at the Capitol, Effie deposited Katniss and Peeta with the prep team. Then she returned to the train to make sure all their things were removed, and to collect Haymitch. She found him passed out on his bed. He was still wearing the dirty jacket from that morning, and he smelled strongly of vomit, though she was pleased to find it wasn't anywhere on his person, or the floor. He was sleeping with his knife in his hand, as he always did when he wasn't sleeping with her, so she woke him up by loudly saying his name a few times from across the room.

He awoke with a start, wildly waving his knife around before he saw her and lowered his arm, looking slightly guilty. She walked back to the bed and ran her hand across his sweaty forehead, not bothering to hide her look of disgust.

"You threw up again," she said more than asked.

"Yeah," he said weakly. As much as he drank, he barely ever threw up, and Effie knew it. It was the pills.

Effie sighed and went to the bathroom to get him a glass of water. He drank it thirstily as she debated what to say next.

"It was those pills. I _told _you not to -" she started. She was never good at holding back a good scolding.

"Shut up. Please," Haymitch said tiredly and held up his hand to silence her. "I know."

Effie sighed again and picked up the medicine bottle that now lay on the floor. She found what she was looking for and read it out loud. "'Effects should wear off in 24 hours.' Well good. You have until what, about 3 o'clock then? You should rest until then."

"Okay," Haymitch said, turned on his side, and closed his eyes.

"Not _here_, we have to _go_," Effie said, a little frantically. "Can you walk?"

Haymitch shrugged, "Probably."

"Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes. We don't want to get behind schedule," she said, and went to check the kids' rooms to make sure the attendants didn't forget to take anything. She did a final check of her own room before returning to Haymitch. He was still lying in bed when she got there, but he wasn't asleep. She managed to get him to stand up, hovered over him as he brushed his teeth, and helped him change his jacket before they left. There was no time for him to shower; that would have to wait.

Thankfully most of the crowds had died down at the station, so they didn't have to talk to many people, and very few reporters. And even then, most of them knew Effie always did most of the talking anyway. Haymitch managed to look decently coherent as he stood beside her and gave a few lines about how this was going to be a good year.

When they got to the Training Centre, Effie managed to convince him to take the rest of the day to sleep, assuring him that she would talk to everyone herself. If they asked, she could always say he was still recovering after his fall, which was true after all. He resisted this suggestion at first because he wanted to use the time to come up with a strategy, but she reasoned that he would be no good at all over the next few days if he didn't take the time to get better, so eventually she left him in his room, clean and showered and tucked into bed.

"Where's my bedtime story?" Haymitch joked as she was about to leave.

"Once upon a time there was a boy named Peeta and a girl named Katniss, and their fairy god father got some rest so he could help them win the Hunger Games. The end," she said with her hand on her hip.

"Fairy god father? I don't like that at all," he replied with a frown.

"Fine then, how about…" she looked him up and down teasingly, "magical troll?"

Haymitch chuckled, "That's more fitting."

"Get some rest," Effie said seriously and kissed him on the forehead. She heard him chuckle again as she left the room and closed the door behind her.

* * *

After a long day of parading around the Capitol and talking to sponsors, Effie was relieved to see Katniss and Peeta again. She had watched the opening ceremonies with Cinna and Portia from the special box area for Hunger Games personnel, and was more than impressed with this years' costumes. She had seen them before of course, since she had to approve them before the ceremony, but they were far more impressive on the tributes than they had been on hangers. Effie generally made a point not to trust the designers, but she had a good feeling about Cinna.

She ran up to Katniss and Peeta after the opening ceremony and immediately started gushing about not only their costumes, which she'd already complimented the stylists on profusely, but also how they'd conducted themselves. They looked so brave, so confident, so…united. And she didn't know whose idea it was to hold hands, but she was impressed.

"I've been very mysterious, though. Because, of course, Haymitch hasn't bothered to tell me your strategies," she added, a little annoyed that he hadn't thought of one yet. Plus, it never hurt to play up their bickering routine. "But I've done my best with what I had to work with. How Katniss sacrificed herself for her sister. How you've both successfully struggled to overcome the barbarism of your district," Katniss glared at that, but of course it's something the Capitol elite would want to hear. As far as most of them were concerned, District 12 might as well be a savage wasteland. "Everyone has their reservations, naturally. You being from the coal district. But I said, and this was very clever of me, I said, 'Well if you put enough pressure on coal it turns to pearls!'" Effie beamed at the kids brilliantly as she finished. Katniss's glare deepened and Peeta's lip twitched violently as if he were suppressing a laugh.

Effie's smile faltered for a second before Peeta exclaimed enthusiastically, "Oh, yes, that was really clever, Effie!"

"Yes, that's…I'm sure everybody loved that!" Katniss added with what Effie guessed was her version of enthusiasm. Effie got a panicked feeling that she'd said something stupid. Her smile faded into a grim expression.

"Unfortunately, I can't seal the sponsor deals for you. Only Haymitch can do that. But don't worry, I'll get him to the table at gunpoint if necessary," she added with determination. Katniss gave her a small genuine smile, and Effie returned it.

When they entered the elevator, the kids looked awestruck, as they did every year, by its extravagant crystal walls and the speed at which it traveled. Effie hardly even registered their amazement as she explained how every district had its own floor, and how they would each have their own bedroom. As she was going through the words she'd said to dozens of tributes in the past, it suddenly struck her. Coal didn't turn to pearls, it turned to diamonds! She panicked for a second but then reassured herself that none of the sponsors would know any better anyway.

The kids gasped in delight when the elevator doors opened to their floor. Effie gave them a quick tour before showing them to their rooms. She told them to be ready for dinner in an hour, before running off to check on Haymitch.

She didn't bother to knock, but let herself into his room quietly. She was relieved to find him awake, and looking rested and sober. He was sitting up in bed, writing frantically on a pad of paper.

He glanced up at her as she entered then looked back down at his notes. He was about to say something but Effie spoke up first.

"Did you watch the opening ceremonies?" she asked cheerfully.

"Yeah, I caught the end. Impressive," he said.

"Yeah, they looked great! I have a good feeling about Cinna. He's the new stylist," Effie explained. She had met him several times already, but of course Haymitch hadn't yet.

Haymitch frowned slightly. "I thought we didn't trust stylists anymore. Since…" he trialed off, but Effie knew who he meant.

"Well, as a general rule, no. But Cinna's different. I think he…" she was about to say she thought he's not like the average Capitol citizen, but she suddenly remembered she hadn't told Haymitch what her father said yet. She panicked for a second, then hastily grabbed Haymitch's notepad and pen, ripped a page from the back, and scribbled frantically. Haymitch looked confused and annoyed.

_They're listening this year, after what you said at the Reaping. My father told me, I called him on the train to make sure they weren't going to punish you. They're not, but we can't say anything against the Capitol. Or the Games. Nothing __rebellious__. Just talk about the tributes._

She handed him the paper and he read it quickly before looking up. "You think Cinna what?" he said calmly.

Effie thought for a second before answering enthusiastically, "I think Cinna's the best stylists we've had so far!"

Haymitch nodded. "We should talk to them after dinner."

Effie's mouth dropped open in surprise, "But you never want to talk to the stylists!"

"Yeah well, I've never liked their _style_ before," he said with a shrug and turned back to his note pad. "Now can you go away so I can think?" Effie made a small huffing sound, and Haymitch looked up and added apologetically, "I'm sorry, you know what I mean."

Effie sighed, "Fine, but I'm going to pick you out something to wear first." Haymitch didn't give any indication that he'd heard her, so she went to his closet, picked out an outfit, and laid it across his bed.

"And please try to look presentable," she said before she could stop herself. Haymitch waved her away, but as she was about to leave the room, he stopped her again.

"Eff?" he said. She turned and saw he was holding up the piece of paper she'd torn out of his notepad. He made a motion underneath it with his other hand, to indicate a lighter. She nodded quickly and took the paper from him, folded it neatly, and put it in her pocket.

After about 10 minutes of searching, she found some matches in one of the drawers in her room. She managed to burn the paper above the trash can without scorching her fingers. She was thankful the bedrooms didn't have cameras in them, at least as far as she knew.

**AN: Reviews are a girl's best friend ;)**


	11. The 74th Hunger Games: The Stylists

**AN: **Sorry I didn't update sooner! My computer died and I just got a new one! Thankfully I was able to recover all my old files, so I didn't lose any of my story! I'll probably upload 2 chapters this week, to compensate for the week I missed :)

* * *

**The 74****th**** Hunger Games: The Stylists**

When Effie arrived in the dining room with Katniss that evening, everyone else except Haymitch was already there. She briefly considered getting him, but she figured she'd wait until at least the second course before she started to worry. She wanted to make a good impression on the new stylist, after all, and bickering with Haymitch was not the way to do it.

As they sat down at the table, an Avox boy arrived immediately to offer them wine. Peeta turned it down politely, but Katniss shrugged.

"Why not?" she said casually.

"Are you sure, dear? Have you ever tried it before?" Effie asked kindly.

"No. But when will I get a chance to try it again?" she said harshly back and nodded her head to the Avox, who poured her about half a glass. Effie watched Katniss take her first sip and was about to warn her to go easy. As the liquid hit her lips, Katniss made a face, and Effie smiled to herself. She wouldn't have to warn her after-all.

Thankfully, Haymitch showed up just as dinner was being served. Effie was impressed by how good he looked. It was quite a change from yesterday. He was wearing the suit she picked out for him, and smelled freshly showered. He'd even shaved, which always pleased her. She noticed she was staring at him far too long, and he grinned at her, obviously noticing the same thing.

She caught herself and said, slightly condescendingly, "Haymitch, how nice of you to finally join us! They're serving your favourite soup!" she gestured to his plate.

"Good," he said, and sat down beside her. "I'm starving."

Before he had a chance to start, the Avox boy returned with the bottle of wine. Haymitch accepted the boy's offer. He heard Effie sigh loudly beside him and reached under the table to squeeze her knee. He didn't want to fight in front of the stylists. He caught her shake her head in resignation out of the corner of his eye.

Haymitch finished his soup quickly and had a few rolls before he took his first sip of wine, and hoped that would at least nullify her. She noticed, and poked him playfully in the ribs. He choked on his wine and glared over at her, but when he saw she was smiling into her glass, he had to smile a little too. He kicked her gently under the table but Effie cleared her throat as she noticed Peeta and the stylists were watching them.

"So, Haymitch!" she said much louder than necessary, "why don't you tell our stylists what you thought about their outfits!"

Haymitch launched into praise for Portia, but mostly Cinna. They spent the rest of dinner making small talk, about the opening ceremony, and the food. And Effie and Haymitch found a few ways to 'accidentally' touch each other, as they reached for things or put their forks down. Effie was glad their meal was going more pleasantly than usual, until something made all of the adults worry.

"What makes it burn? Is it alcohol?" Katniss asked, looking up at the Avox girl who had just set their cake ablaze. "That's the last thing I wa- oh! I know you!" she suddenly exclaimed. A look of terror crossed the Avox's face.

Effie panicked, but managed to keep her expression even. The last thing they needed was for one of their tributes to be associated with an Avox. The girl shook her head quickly and hurried away from the table. Katniss watched her go, then looked back to the table. Effie noticed Haymitch, Cinna, and Portia were staring at Katniss just as hard as she was.

"Don't be ridiculous, Katniss," Effie spoke up first, "how could you possibly know an Avox? The very thought."

"What's an Avox?" she asked innocently.

"Someone who committed a crime," Haymitch replied, "they cut her tongue so she can't speak. She's probably a traitor of some sort. Not likely you'd know her," he finished dismissively.

"And even if you did, you're not to speak to one of them unless it's to give an order," Effie added. "Of course, you don't really know her."

"No, I guess not," Katniss answered, not too convincingly. Thankfully Peeta interrupted with a story about how the Avox girl looked like a girl from their class. Effie wasn't convinced, but she hoped whoever was listening was.

As dinner ended, they went to watch the recap of the opening ceremonies in the sitting room.

"Whose idea was the hand holding?" Haymitch asked near the end.

"Cinna's," Portia answered.

"Just the perfect touch of rebellion. Very nice," Haymitch answered, and Effie glared at him from the other end of the small couch. He caught her eye and shrugged sheepishly. Then he turned to the kids, "Tomorrow morning is the first training session. Meet me for breakfast and I'll tell you exactly how I want you to play it. Now go get some sleep while the grown-ups talk."

When the kids were well out of earshot, Haymitch turned to Cinna. "So listen, I know you've probably heard about my…apathy, towards the tributes," Effie snorted and he shot her a warning look. She suppressed her grin as he motioned to Portia, "and you of course have witnessed it first-hand." Portia had been with them for three years now, and in that time she'd seen how Haymitch normally acted towards the kids, especially when it came to getting sponsors. Portia nodded seriously. "But this year, I think we've go two potential victors on our hands!"

Cinna nodded, "I agree."

"So, we need to do more of what we've been doing," Haymitch continued. "Your design was great. I like the fire bit, that's a good theme, stick with that. And their hand holding…well, should I let them in on the little secret?" he turned to Effie.

"You mean Peeta…" Effie asked.

"Yeah," Haymitch replied.

Effie considered for a moment. "I don't see why not."

"Well," Haymitch said, turning back to the designers. "Peeta has a crush on Katniss. But from what he said, I don't think she has any idea."

Portia's mouth fell open in shock dramatically, but Cinna just nodded and gave a knowing smile.

"So, we think we should play up that angle, right?" he turned to Effie again and she nodded enthusiastically. It excited her that he was including her in his plans; that he had said 'we think', not 'I think'. It made her feel like they were partners again.

"Right! Like Bo and Iris. In the 62nd Games, when Enobaria won. Do you remember that?" Effie asked the stylists, realizing with a pang of annoyance that they might be too young. To her relief they both nodded.

"Yes, I remember," Cinna replied. "She killed herself, didn't she? So he wouldn't have to protect her anymore? But surely you don't want one of our tributes to do _that_," he frowned.

"No," Haymitch said dismissively. "Or at least, not necessarily. If it happens it happens, but -"

"Haymitch," Effie said disapprovingly, feeling tears coming to her eyes at the memory.

Haymitch turned to Effie. "Well, I'm just saying. If one of them chooses to do it, we can't stop them. There can only be one victor, after-all," he desperately wanted to get off this topic; he didn't want to upset Effie too much. He turned back to Portia and Cinna. "But that's not the over-all goal. I just think…well we saw it that year, the sponsors love a good love story. So, I thought about it a lot, and for now, I just want to present them as…friends. Allies. The hand holding bit, that was perfect. Two tributes from one district, working together from the start. We see it with the Careers all the time, but rarely with the other districts. And almost never before the Games actually start. So, that's where you two come in. Can you make sure their outfits for the interviews match?"

Portia and Cinna looked at each other, then back at Haymitch and nodded again.

"Good," Haymitch replied. "And if you could throw in more fire, that'd be great."

"Of course," Cinna said. "I already have something in mind."

"Good," Haymitch replied again. "And one more thing. When you pick out their outfits for training tomorrow, can you make sure they match too?"

Cinna and Portia nodded again.

"Alright. Well that's really all I wanted to say for now," Haymitch said and stood up. The others stood up too.

"I think it will be a pleasure to work for your district," Cinna said smoothly, walked over to Haymitch, and stretched out his hand. Haymitch took it and shook it enthusiastically. Effie was right, there was something…_special _about him.

* * *

Effie and Haymitch let the stylists go ahead to their quarters first, before following quickly after them. They didn't want them to see that they went to the same room, even though they knew Portia probably had strong suspicions about them by now.

They stepped into Effie's room and she quickly closed the door behind them, turning on Haymitch.

"You look really good," she said seductively and grabbed his collar, pulling him close.

"I know. I saw you staring," he said with a smirk.

Effie shrugged, "You clean up nice."

"Mmmhmm," he said, and kissed her deeply for a minute. He released her suddenly and stepped back. "Well, if we wanna get an early start tomorrow, we should get some rest." Effie made a whining noise and he chuckled. "I'm kidding. But take that crap off first," he gestured to her wig and make-up.

She took her Capitol costume off in record time and crawled into bed beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I missed you," she whispered as she absentmindedly traced her fingers across the barely visible scar on his stomach that he'd had since his Games.

"Me too," he said.

"No, I mean, I missed…_this_ you," she said, but didn't know how to explain without sounding rude.

"Me too," he smiled in understanding and moved her over so she lay on top of him. She rearranged herself so she was straddling him. "Why don't you show me how much you missed me?" he asked with a smirk, and she proceeded to do just that.

**AN: Reviews are lovely :)**


	12. The 74th Hunger Games: The Training

**AN: **The last part of this chapter was inspired by this paragraph in the first book:

"Haymitch and Effie grill us throughout breakfast and dinner about every moment of the day…Not that Haymitch and Effie are fighting anymore. Instead, they seem to be of one mind, determined to whip us into shape." (p.99)

I used this line to help prove to my boyfriend that Haymitch and Effie don't actually hate eachother, though he still doesn't think they'd ever be a couple :P

Anyway, Katniss explained away these dinners in a short paragraph. But I have a more in-depth version.

Also, I take a line out of the movie in this one, just because I liked it.

* * *

**The 74****th**** Hunger Games: The Training Centre**

The next morning, Effie was finishing up her make-up when Haymitch came bounding into her room. He'd had breakfast alone with the tributes. He said he didn't think they trusted her yet, which they probably didn't. Especially Katniss.

"I was right!" he exclaimed. "She can hunt. With a bow."

"A bow?" Effie turned in her chair and looked up at him, confused.

"Yeah, a bow. You know…" he mimed shooting an arrow.

"Oh!" Effie exclaimed. "I thought you meant…never mind," she couldn't hide her blush.

"What, a bow?" he walked up to her laughing and flicked one of the bows on her dress.

"Yes, shut up, it's early," she said. "Anyway, go on," she prodded him.

"Right. Well she can hunt. With a bow," he mimed shooting an arrow again, "and arrow. Peeta says she's good. Apparently she gets them in the eye."

Effie made a disgusted face, "Why would she do that?"

"So it won't ruin the meat," Haymitch explained, a bit impatiently.

"Oh," Effie said, feeling stupid again.

"She's got good aim, it looks like. She did with the knife anyway, so that's a good sign. Obviously she can't show us her archery skills though. And she knows some snares. You know, for trapping animals? And as for Peeta, Katniss says he's strong. He can lift a hundred-pound bag of flour. And he can wrestle. She says he came in second in the school competition."

"That's great!" Effie exclaimed. "You told them not to show the others their strengths though, right?"

"Obviously," Haymitch said, a little annoyed. "I told them to learn stuff they don't already know. And I told them to stick together. To appear…what's the word I used…amiable."

"Good word," Effie said with a grin.

"Surprised?" he joked.

"No," Effie joked back. "Your vocabulary improves _vastly_ when you're sober."

"How drôle," he replied in a fake Capitol accent.

Effie laughed, "Anything else? I have to go soon."

"Umm, they're fine with being coached together, which will save some time, so that's good. And…well," he chuckled lightly, "they had a little fight. It was kinda cute actually. It reminded me of a certain other couple…" he smiled down at her and she smiled back, but then frowned.

"Yes well…we mustn't think like that. Only one of them will make it out of there," she said sensibly.

"You sound like me," he said, frowning back.

"Well…there's pessimism and then there's just realism," she retorted. "So do you think if he helps her, and then…she's left alone in there, do you think she'll have a shot?"

"Yes. But I definitely think they'll be stronger if they stick together," Haymitch replied.

"Do you think Katniss will agree to that?" Effie got the feeling she wouldn't.

Haymitch sighed, "I don't know. I couldn't really blame her if she didn't. Once you get in there…well you just want to get the hell away from everyone. Even people you trusted before," he got the far-away look in his eye that he always wore when he talked about his Games. "But who knows. She might come around in the end."

Effie stood up and patted his arm sympathetically. She never knew quite what to say when he talked about his Games, but he never really wanted her to say anything anyway.

"You better go now, you wouldn't want to get behind schedule," he switched back to his mocking tone and she gasped and looked at her watch. She turned and ran for the door, and Haymitch hit her playfully on the ass on the way out.

* * *

When Effie reached the elevator, Peeta was already there.

"Good morning, Peeta!" she said brightly, over-emphasizing his name. It was fun to say it in the clipped tones of her Capitol accent. _Peet-ah!_

"Good morning, Effie," he replied with a smile, but he looked a little tired.

"Are you excited for your first day of training?" she hated herself for asking such a moronic question.

"I guess," he said with a shrug.

"Don't worry! Just do exactly what Haymitch told you to do and you'll be fine! He does want what's best for you and Katniss, you know. He just has a funny way of showing it," she assured him. Peeta gave her the same odd look he'd given her yesterday on the train, after he'd found Haymitch in her bedroom.

"I guess you two know each other pretty well, huh?" he asked.

"Oh well, we've worked together for almost 20 years!" she replied, fighting against the blush that threatened to rise to her cheeks. Thankfully Katniss approached them just at that moment. Effie turned away from Peeta and smiled at her broadly. The girl had been biting her nails, but as soon as she saw them she lowered her hand hastily.

"Good morning, Katniss!" Effie exclaimed. "You're right on time!"

"Hi," Katniss replied, not bothering to pretend she was happy.

"Well, let's be off!" Effie said as she pressed the button for the elevator, which opened almost instantly. "It's going to be a big, big, big day!" she added as she ushered the kids into the elevator before stepping onto it herself. Her mother used to use this phrase when she was a child, and she always thought it sounded like the perfect thing for a Capitol woman to say.

Effie cleared her throat. "As I was just saying to Peeta, don't let Haymitch get to you, dear. He really does want to help you win. The both of you. He may not have the best manners, but he knows what he's talking about."

"I thought you hated Haymitch?" Katniss asked.

"No, I…" Effie turned from Katniss to Peeta, who was giving her that funny look again. A knowing look, she realized. "I hate it when he's irresponsible and rude, which is often. But he sees something in the both of you that he hasn't seen in a tribute for a long long time. So trust him." Both kids looked surprised by what Effie had just said, and she hoped it wasn't too rebellious for whoever else was listening. As they were about to reach the training room, she added. "And remember to stick together."

* * *

While Katniss and Peeta were training with the other tributes, Haymitch and Effie spent most of their time schmoozing with the Capitol elite. Haymitch hadn't been allowed to speak to sponsors before the opening ceremonies, but he could now that the Games had officially begun. The Viewing Centre wasn't open yet, but there was nothing stopping them from going to the bars and restaurants where the sponsors were all likely to hang out. With all the parties being held this time of year in anticipation for the Hunger Games, the escorts and mentors kept busy.

Effie was thrilled they had their old spark back. Haymitch was charming to the sponsors, and they worked together well. They had their old friendly banter back, and they even flirted a little. But at dinner, it was time to concentrate on the kids' training.

"Tell us everything," Haymitch demanded as soon as they sat down at the table. Effie was pleased that he'd been avoiding alcohol all day, although he'd accepted the Avox's offer of wine.

Katniss and Peeta looked at each other, then back at Haymitch. "Well, we avoided the archery and weightlifting stations, like you said," Peeta answered.

"Good. Good," Haymitch replied. "So what did you do first?"

"Tied knots," Katniss asked, then took a big bite of bread.

"And?" Haymitch prodded. Katniss shrugged, her mouth full.

"Well, Katniss mentioned she knew something about snares, so the trainer showed us a trap. See, it'll catch someone by the leg and dangle them upside-down. We spent an hour working on it and I think we both mastered it," he looked over at Katniss, who nodded.

"Oh, excellent!" Effie trilled. "You know, I think that's one of the more neglected training areas. But it's a very useful skill!"

"Right," Haymitch nodded.

Effie continued excitedly, "You never know what the arena will bring! Suppose you…suppose you have to dangle from a tree, or something. A good knot will come in handy there."

Katniss gave her a doubtful look and Peeta smiled.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Eff. We're gonna talk about the arenas later, remember?" Haymitch reminded her.

"Right, right," she said. "Go on, what did you do after that?" she asked the tributes.

"Well, we went to the camouflage station," Peeta replied, and looked a bit embarrassed.

"Peeta was really good!" Katniss exclaimed, almost angrily. "He painted his arm, and it looked just like real leaves in the woods."

"You didn't mention you were good with camouflage, dear," Effie said to Peeta.

"Oh, well…" he looked a bit sheepish. "I didn't know I was. See, I decorate the cakes back home, but -"

"You make those?" Haymitch interrupted. "They're really good!"

"Oh, so that's where your six-pack went," Effie joked and patted him on the stomach.

"Cute," he said to her wryly then turned back to Peeta. "I meant the designs…They taste good too though," he added with a grin. "That will definitely come in useful, if you need to hide. Good job," he said enthusiastically and turned on Katniss. "And what about you? Any good at camouflage?"

"Not really," she said with a shrug.

Haymitch glared slightly but went on. "Then what?"

"Are you two going to interrogate us all through dinner? Because I'd really like to enjoy my last few days -" Katniss started, but Haymitch interrupted aggressively.

"And I'd like you to enjoy the next 50 years! So shut up and tell us what happened."

Katniss gave him a rebellious grin, "How can I tell you what happened if I shut up?" Haymitch looked like he was about to hit her, so Effie put a calming hand on his arm.

"Really dear, we're just trying to help you," she said to Katniss with a smile.

"Stop calling me dear," Katniss snapped at her.

"You leave her alone," Haymitch snapped back.

"TRUCE!" Peeta shouted and stood up, holding his arms between Haymitch and Katniss.

Effie squeezed Haymitch's arm. "Truce," he said begrudgingly.

"Fine," Katniss said, and took a big bite out of the chicken that had just been placed in front of her.

Peeta sat back down. "We learned how to start fires. Katniss picked it up faster but I figured it out in the end. Then we did the edible plants test. I wasn't very good but Katniss got it perfect without even blinking an eye. And finally we started to learn how to make shelters. Neither of us got it though, so we told the trainer we'd come back and finish with her tomorrow."

"Excellent!" Effie exclaimed. "You should try to learn more about those plants though, Peeta. That will be a very useful skill in any woodland arena, which they do seem to choose more often than not."

Peeta nodded, looking a little guilty.

"Is that all you did today?" Haymitch asked. Effie was glad most of the anger had left his voice.

"Yeah," Peeta replied.

"Good. Survival skills are vital," Haymitch said encouragingly. "But when you finish making shelters tomorrow you should get some practice with weapons. You might not get a bow and arrow in the arena, Katniss, so you should hone your knife skills, if you can." Katniss nodded deftly, but didn't look at him. "What about the other tributes? Did anyone stand out?"

"Well…the Careers were all huge, obviously," Peeta replied. "And they were showing off."

"The boy from 2 shot a spear right through a dummy's heart from 15 yards away," Katniss chipped in, sounding depressed.

"Well. That's impressive," Haymitch said. "But from the sounds of it you could out-shoot him with your bow any day." Peeta nodded enthusiastically and Katniss looked like she was suppressing a smile. "And, more importantly, they don't know that you can do it. That's the Careers' biggest weakness. Arrogance."

Katniss finally looked up at Haymitch. She'd never thought of the Careers as having any weaknesses, but she realized he was right. They seemed to have their own silent truce in that moment, as they sat staring at each other. She wondered if she came off as arrogant; she knew Haymitch certainly did.

Effie broke the awkward silence. "And what about the other tributes. What were they like?"

"Small, most of them," Peeta started.

"No, that's not true. Most of them were bigger than me…though probably not bigger than Peeta," Katniss countered.

"Yeah, but they were skinny, and underfed. You've got some muscle on you," Peeta said firmly.

"How would you know?" she snapped at him.

"Whoa, relax, sweetheart," Haymitch chimed in. "Everybody can see it."

"It must be all those squirrels you eat," Effie added with a half-hearted chuckle. Peeta and Haymitch joined in nervously.

Katniss frowned and looked back down at her food. She wondered how Effie knew about the squirrels, but then she realized that of course Haymitch must have told her. She almost hated them more when they were getting along than when they were fighting.

"Anyway, they looked inexperienced. The others, I mean. I don't think most of them had ever even used a knife before," Peeta added.

"Well, of course, that's the same every year," Effie said adamantly. "We can write-off about half of them from the get-go."

Peeta and Katniss looked at her in surprise, and Haymitch's shocked expression was almost comical.

"Effie," he said with a gasp, "I've never heard you talk like that before."

"Well…it's true," she said nervously. She realized that it had sounded callous, but she had only said it to make the kids feel better. "It's sad, but it's true." She suddenly got a panicked expression on her face. She thought quickly. "It's sad that you won't get to fight all of them properly." She said stupidly and took a few quick forkfuls of rice. She hated the feeling that they were being watched…or listened to…or both.

"Why don't you tell them about the arenas now?" Haymitch said quickly. He knew she loved talking about them and he was a little worried about her.

"Okay!" Effie lit up, reached beside her chair, and pulled up her official Hunger Games briefcase. As much as she hated the Games, the arenas were her favourite part. They were deadly beautiful in their design. And some of them were just so unique that you couldn't help but be interested in them. She had taken a few architecture classes in university and talking about the arenas always excited her. Besides, this would give her a chance to praise the Gamemakers, so this was the perfect time for them to be listening.

She pulled out a neat stack of large papers and placed them in the middle of the table, facing the tributes. There were 25 of them, to be exact. Although the Gamemakers liked to have a unique design every year, they did tend to rotate between a few basic designs, or sometimes they would mix some aspects of several designs together. And there were a few that were truly unique, that had never been replicated since.

"I think you'll be familiar with the four most common designs. We have the forest, the industrial wasteland, the desert, and the mountains. Of course, there are many variation of these basic designs. For example, the forest can be a regular coniferous forest, or a rain forest. And these arenas usually include a meadow or a clearing of some-sort. Food sources can usually be found within the forest itself, and must be hunted, trapped, or picked. Then there's the industrial arenas. These are my personal favourite," she gave her fake Capitol laugh. "Food sources are generally found hidden in crates, scattered throughout the buildings. These arenas usually provided the best shelter," this was the main reason why they were her favourite. Plus, she had never been the outdoorsy type. "Now, I must tell you about one of the best arenas I've ever seen. It was long before your time. It all took place in a giant super-market. But surely you don't know what a super-market is, so let me explain." She pointed sharply to the paper at the top of the pile. "It's basically like a large store, made up of other stores. Imagine, Peeta, if your parents' bakery was in the same building as the butcher, and the grocer, and the dress shop, and every other shop in town! All in the same giant building. So, of course the tributes had everything they needed all in that one store. And they could find places to sleep up on the high high shelves. But, it was also hard to travel, or escape, since they never knew who was around the corner. And the Careers made camp where all the food was…"

She went on about the arenas for about 10 more minutes before she noticed that even Peeta had stopped paying attention. Haymitch had long since zoned out, having heard this presentation several times before, and Katniss really only listened when Effie talked about the forest arenas. Effie sighed and packed up her papers, promising to continue in the morning, when they'd all gotten some sleep.

The rest of their time with the tributes over the next few days went in much the same way. Haymitch and Effie expected a recap of exactly what they did, how well they did it, who watched them, and how all the others measured up. And they were endlessly giving them directions on what to do and what not to do.

They didn't even fight anymore, in front of the kids, or the sponsors, or when they were alone. It was as if they were of one mind, focusing solely on helping Katniss and Peeta win. Katniss _or_ Peeta, Effie had to keep reminding herself.

**AN: It was surprisingly confusing writing a conversation involving all four of these characters, especially since Haymitch and Effie were being nice to each other, Katniss was being mean to everyone, Haymitch was being mean to Katniss, and Peeta and Effie were being nice to everyone. It was like, whoa, worst family dinner ever. Did anybody else get that correlation?**

**Also, that little story about the super-market arena, I actually had a dream about it so I wanted to throw it into a fic! It was basically a giant Costco, and at one point I had to climb up this really high shelf to reach a sleeping bag. It was actually a pretty cool dream. Also terrifying though.**


	13. The 74th Hunger Games: The Scores

**The 74****th**** Hunger Games: The Scores**

On the morning of the tributes' private sessions with the Gamemakers, Effie and Haymitch were more pushy than ever, reminding Peeta to throw the weights, and Katniss to get a feel for the bows before using them. By the time they left in the morning, the kids were even more nervous and exhausted than they had been before.

The pressure didn't end after the sessions either. Haymitch and Effie slipped away from their parties earlier that day, to greet the tributes as soon as they came in. Peeta told them about his session willingly, though he didn't sound too thrilled about it. But when Katniss entered the penthouse she walked immediately towards her room. When they called out to her from the sitting room, she ran the rest of the way down the hall and slammed her door loudly and locked it.

Haymitch and Effie were after her in a flash, Effie even kicked off her heals to run. They knocked on her door and begged her to come out, first nicely and finally rudely. They stopped after about 15 minutes and walked back to the sitting room. Haymitch looked angry but Effie just looked dejected.

"If she's not going to talk to us, what the hell is the point?" Haymitch fumed as he flopped down on the couch.

"Just give her some time," Effie said kindly and sat down beside him. "You know how girls can be…I bet the poor dear just needs to cry herself out."

"I doubt she's crying," Peeta said from across the coffee table.

"Well it sounded like she was," Effie said with a look at Haymitch, who shrugged.

"Anyway, she's probably just upset that they ignored her like they did you," Effie said, turning back to Peeta.

"Yes, something tells me that one doesn't like being ignored," Haymitch said with a wry smile. They made Peeta tell them about that morning's training, and they were all starving by the time Portia and Cinna arrived for dinner.

Effie braced herself as she went to get Katniss from her room, but she was relieved when the girl yelled back that she'd be out in a minute, instead of yelling at her to go away.

When Katniss joined them for dinner she still looked as if she'd be crying, but thankfully nobody brought it up. They all looked at her expectantly, but she avoided everyone's gaze and concentrated on her fish soup.

Portia said something about the weather forecast and the adults all joined into the conversation half-heartedly. As the Avoxes were serving the main course, Haymitch finally turned to Katniss.

"Okay, enough small talk, just how bad were you today?" he asked.

Peeta jumped in before she could answer, and said encouragingly, "I don't know that it mattered. By the time I showed up, no one even bothered to look at me. They were singing some kind of drinking song, I think. So, I threw around some heavy objects until they told me I could go."

Katniss looked up from her plate and gave him an almost grateful look.

"And you, sweetheart?" Haymitch prodded again.

She turned to him aggressively, "I shot an arrow at the Gamemakers."

There was a clatter as a few people dropped their cutlery. "You what?" Effie asked in horror.

"I shot an arrow at them. Not exactly at them. In their direction. It's like Peeta said, I was shooting and they were ignoring me and I just…I lost my head, so I shot an apple out of their stupid roast pig's mouth!" Katniss replied defiantly.

"And what did they say?" Cinna asked carefully.

"Nothing. Or I don't know. I walked out after that," Katniss answered.

"Without being dismissed?" Effie gasped.

"I dismissed myself," Katniss retorted. Her voice wavered and she looked a little guilty.

"Well, that's that," Haymitch said then picked up a roll and started to butter it. Effie looked at him sharply. She didn't like his casual tone. Why wasn't he freaking out like she was?

"Do you think they'll arrest me?" Katniss asked him

"Doubt it. Be a pain to replace you at this stage," he said.

"What about my family?" Katniss asked and looked guilty again. "Will they punish them?"

"Don't think so," Haymitch replied. "Wouldn't make much sense. See, they'd have to reveal what happened in the Training Centre for it to have any worthwhile effect on the population. People would need to know what you did. But they can't since it's secret, so it'd be a waste of effort. More likely they'll make your life hell in the arena."

Effie nodded in agreement. It was true that they probably wouldn't bother to punish Katniss's family. There was a one in 24 chance she'd be dead soon anyway. Killing a rebel's family is only worthwhile if they survive to be effected by it…like Haymitch was.

Effie didn't like the way he'd casually said they'd make Katniss's life hell in the arena though. She didn't want him to give up again. She frowned at him as she watched him pick up a pork chop with his fingers and dip it into his wine. Then she tuned back into the conversation.

"Shocked. Terrified. Uh, ridiculous, some of them," Katniss was saying. "One man tripped backward into a bowl of punch."

Haymitch guffawed and the others joined in his laughter, except Effie, who suppressed a smile.

"Well, it serves them right," Effie spoke up. "It's their job to pay attention to you. And just because you come from District 12 is no excuse to ignore you." Her eyes darted quickly around the room as she realized what she'd just said. "I'm sorry, but that's what I think," she added hastily. She hoped her reputation for being a stickler for rules and manners would make it seem like her criticism of the Gamemakers was purely procedural. Haymitch rubbed her knee gently under the table, which calmed her down a bit.

"I'll get a very bad score," Katniss went on.

"Scores only matter if they're very good, no one pays much attention to the bad or mediocre ones," Portia chipped in. "For all they know, you could be hiding your talents to get a low score on purpose. People use that strategy." This was very true, but Effie and Haymitch knew first hand that higher scores got the sponsor's attention early on, which could give them a vital advantage.

"I hope that's how people interpret the four I'll probably get," Peeta said self-debasingly. "If that. Really, is anything less impressive than watching a person pick up a heavy ball and throw it a couple of yards? One almost landed on my foot." This made everyone grin and some of the tension in the room lifted.

The rest of the dinner passed by smoothly, and afterwards they all went into the sitting room to watch the scores. They all praised Peeta heartily after he got an 8, but they all seemed to hold their breath when Katniss's face flashed onto the screen.

Eleven!

Effie let out a squeal and everyone got up and started congratulating Katniss.

"There must be mistake," Effie heard her say to Haymitch as he shook her hand. "How…how could that happen?"

"Guess they liked your temper," he replied with a wide grin. "They've got a show to put on. They need some players with some heat."

Cinna took over congratulating Katniss and Haymitch walked over to Effie. He stretched his arms out and cocked his head to the side, asking for a hug.

"Oh…why not," Effie said with a grin and stepped into his arms, wrapping her own tightly around his waist. They both laughed happily. It felt good to be here, in the sitting room, celebrating a victory with their entire team. She really felt like they were a team now. It wasn't just her and Haymitch anymore, the stylists were on their side now too. They were all working towards one goal. She hadn't felt this kind of elation in a long long time.

* * *

"She's just like you, you know?" Effie said teasingly when they finally made it into her room that night. Haymitch seemed to take offense.

"Yeah well…Peeta's just like you," he countered.

"What? How is he like me?" Effie asked with a laugh.

"I don't know. Always optimistic…" he said, and smiled faintly. "Besides, you like him better."

Effie sighed. "Well I can't help that. He's just so nice. You can't help but like him. _You_ like Katniss better though," she said, a bit accusingly. This happened every year that Haymitch actually liked a tribute and thought they could win. He would become obsessed with helping them, and practically ignore the other one. That left Effie to worry about the other one all by herself. She supposed they couldn't help it, picking favourites. At least this year Haymitch seemed to be helping Peeta almost as much.

"I don't _like_ Katniss better,' Haymitch retorted. "If this were a personality competition, Peeta would win hands down. But I think Katniss can win. Besides, I _get_ her, and I don't think anyone else does."

Effie nodded seriously, then sighed again. "The sad thing is, I think they could both win. It's too bad they were chosen in the same year. Sometimes, I wish there was a way there could be two victors. It's too depressing, watching one of them die…All the escorts think so," she added with a nervous glance around, then turned to the mirror to take off her wig. She didn't see the flash of inspiration cross Haymitch's face, or the look of concentration that quickly followed. He walked to the now completely packed note pad that was lying on Effie's nightstand and jotted something down on the front page.

_Can they __both__ win?_

He underlined 'both' several times.

"What are you writing?" Effie asked, watching him in the mirror.

"Nothing. It's nothing," he said and started to undress. He didn't want to tell her now. He didn't want to give her too much hope. It was probably impossible anyway.


	14. The 74th Hunger Games: The Coaching

**AN: **Thanks for all the kind reviews, favourites, and follows! Keep 'em coming :P

Also, I'm pretty tired as I edit this chapter, so please let me know of any mistakes I may have missed. Thanks!

* * *

**The 74****th**** Hunger Games: The Coaching Sessions**

The next morning at breakfast, Effie wasn't surprised to learn that Peeta wanted to be coached alone. He had told Haymitch back on the train that he wanted to reveal his feelings for Katniss during his interview, and she supposed now he wanted to practice all the different ways in which he could do it. It was a great plan, and Effie could tell Haymitch was a little disappointed he hadn't thought of it himself. Effie got the feeling Peeta would make an excellent mentor…if he survived.

Iris and Bo hadn't revealed their feelings for one another until they were in the arena, which delayed the arrangement of gifts. But Peeta and Katniss's love story would begin before they were even in there. Effie wondered if the sponsors would be excited enough to send them something on the first day. She hoped they would. Some of them had been asking Effie and Haymitch if there was anything more between their tributes than friendship, and they'd been cryptic about their answers. She knew the revelation tomorrow night would delight and excite them.

After a disastrous morning with Katniss, Effie was looking forward to coaching Peeta. She dreaded Haymitch ending his night with her though. She had a feeling their time together would be disastrous, and she hoped it wouldn't leave him in a bad mood that evening.

"So…what happened between you and Haymitch last year?" Peeta asked tentatively that afternoon, almost immediately after changing into his suit.

"What are you talking about?" Effie asked cheerfully, but her voice shook a little.

"You know, the 'send off' you had? Like Caesar Flickerman said?" Peeta pressed, trying to sound polite.

"Oh, that was nothing. And this is hardly the time to talk about it," Effie said dismissively as she straightened his tie. She felt herself getting annoyed again. She was already in a terrible mood after her morning with Katniss.

"Oh…because I asked Portia about it, but she said it wouldn't be her place to say," Peeta said. Effie felt infinite gratitude for the woman.

"Well, that was very well-mannered of her," Effie said, forcing a smile. "Anyway, Peeta, what happened last year is not important. And it's certainly nothing you should be concerning yourself with."

"Okay, well…I was just curious. But…well," he paused and looked concerned for a moment before continuing, "He didn't hit you, did he?"

Effie let out a fake laugh, when all she really wanted to do was frown. "Oh my, no! What ever gave you that idea? Haymitch may be crude and ill-tempered, but he's not violent," she concluded adamantly.

Peeta gave her a doubtful look and pointed at his eye, which was still healing from when Haymitch had hit him on the train.

"Oh, right…well he's not violent towards _me_, anyway…" she couldn't conceal her worried look and she desperately wanted to change the subject. But there was something else she wanted to say first. "How very sweet of you to be worried about me, dear." She wanted to give the boy a hug but knew it would be inappropriate.

Peeta shrugged and looked a little embarrassed, "Yeah well, I don't know if I could trust him anymore if I knew he'd done _that_."

Effie nodded seriously and suddenly got a rash feeling that she wanted to tell Peeta about her and Haymitch. She didn't know why, exactly, but her gratitude for the boy made her want to confide in him, maybe. She had no idea how to say it though. She'd only ever told one person about their relationship, her younger sister, Celeste. A few other people knew about it, of course, but she'd never told them, at best she'd only confirmed it.

"Last year…after our last tribute died…Haymitch and I got into a fight. We were in the Sponsor Viewing Centre, and…he kissed me. In front of everybody," she was blushing hard and she got the feeling Peeta could tell. "Everybody thought it was hilarious," she ended with a nervous laugh.

"Oh," Peeta replied, a smile broke through his lips.

"Peeta!" Effie said in shock.

The boy started to laugh, "I'm sorry. But that's pretty funny!"

Effie glared a little, "Not for me it wasn't!"

"Aw, come on, I've seen the way you two are together," he stopped laughing and suddenly turned serious. "That morning on the train, when he was in your room, he wasn't just there to get dressed, was he?"

Effie's expression softened, "No."

"I knew it!" Peeta said triumphantly.

"Alright, Peeta. This conversation has gone on long enough, and frankly I _don't_ think it's appropriate," she said in her strict tone. He laughed lightly again but dropped the subject as she started to teach him proper posture and walking and smiling. Thankfully he was far better than Katniss had been so their little conversation didn't delay them one bit.

* * *

When Effie and Peeta left for the dining room that evening, they were both pleased with how their coaching session had gone. But they were both also worried about the mood Haymitch and Katniss would be in. Without Effie or Peeta there to mediate, they were a little worried that one of them may have just killed the other. As they came into view of the dining room, Effie saw Haymitch sitting at the table with a bottle of whiskey beside him. Over the past few days, the most she'd seen him drink was a couple of glasses of wine at dinner. She also noticed that Katniss wasn't there, and she started to panic about what state the poor girl was in.

"Where's Katniss?" Effie asked Haymitch, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Why? Are you afraid I killed her or something?" Haymitch slurred, then laughed loudly.

"You're drunk," she said, not bothering to keep the accusation out of her voice.

"You're nagging," he retorted, and finished off his glass in one swig. She glared and sat as far away from him as she could, to make a point. "You'd be drinking too if you'd tried to make her likeable."

"I'll have you know that she was difficult in my session too," Effie said in a huff.

"Yeah well, looking good is easier than_ sounding_ good," Haymitch retorted. Dammit, he was right, Effie realized.

An Avox came around and offered everyone wine. Effie pointedly turned it down, and she was relieved that Haymitch did too. She also noticed he hadn't refilled his glass of whiskey.

"Maybe I should go check on her?" Effie said in concern.

"She said she wanted to be alone," Haymitch replied gruffly and started in on his soup.

After about five minutes of silence, Effie spoke up. "So, Peeta, how did your content session go?"

"Good," Peeta said, nodding firmly. "I think I know exactly what I'm going to say. See, Haymitch told me that Caesar will probably ask me if I have a special girl back home, so…" he trailed off with a smile.

"Ooh, yes, that will be good!" Effie said enthusiastically. They ate in silence for a few more minutes until Effie finally broke it again.

"So, aren't you going to ask how my session with Peeta went?" she asked Haymitch, who didn't seem to hear her. "Haymitch?"

"What?" he said groggily. "Oh. No, why bother? We know _this one_ was meant to be in front of a camera," he said, nodding his head at Peeta.

Effie started to say something else but Haymitch suddenly pushed his chair away from the table. "I think I'm gonna call it an early night. If that's alright with _yoouuuu_," he turned to Effie mockingly. She looked concerned but nodded her head curtly. He stumbled out of the room and she couldn't help looking after him as he went. When she turned her head back to the table she caught Peeta watching her.

"He'll be fine," she said confidently.

"Probably just needs to sleep it off?"

"Exactly," she nodded, hoping it was true. She had a moment of panic when she considered what would happen if Haymitch just started drinking again and didn't help the tributes this year, but she pushed the thought away. He'd had a momentary lapse, that was all, she assured herself. Besides, this year she had Cinna and Portia on her side, and she got the feeling Cinna wouldn't let Haymitch abandon Katniss like that. He seemed to genuinely like the girl, which honestly astounded Effie.

Effie and Peeta spent the rest of dinner alone, and it was probably the most pleasant meal they'd had in a few days.

* * *

After dinner, Effie bid goodnight to Peeta and told him to get some rest, since he'd be up early with his prep team the next morning. Then she met with Cinna and Portia in the sitting room, to approve the kid's outfits for tomorrow. She was more than impressed, especially with Katniss's dress, and Cinna assured her it would look even better on her. When they asked how the coaching sessions went, Effie gushed about Peeta. She tried to sound enthusiastic about Katniss, but she knew they saw through it. Cinna patted her reassuringly on the arm.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll do much better with Caesar than with Haymitch," he said kindly, and she nodded slowly.

The day of the interviews was usually Effie's favourite day of the Hunger Games. While the kids got ready, she and Haymitch could sleep late and stay in all day. The sponsors were always too hyped up to talk business, and they avoided the mentors and escorts if they came to talk to them. This was the main reason why she hoped Haymitch's bad mood would wear off by tomorrow. She loved spending these lazy afternoons with him, but they were terrible if they were fighting.

She took an extra long time taking her outfit off that night, to give Haymitch more time to cool off. She changed into a far too revealing nightgown and a long silk bathrobe and quietly made her way down the hall. She was relieved to find Haymitch's door unlocked.

She entered his room quietly and found him lying awake in bed. He looked up when he heard the door open but then turned around to face the window.

"Do you want me to go?" Effie whispered.

"No," he mumbled.

She breathed a sigh of relief and walked into the room, quietly locking the door behind her.

She sat on his bed and he turned onto his back. He looked moody.

"It'll be fine," Effie said gently and stroked his hair. He gave her a doubtful look but she went on. "You know Caesar Flickerman can make anyone look good." Haymitch shrugged and sighed.

"Come to bed," he demanded and she immediately took off her robe and slid under the sheets beside him. He made a noise of pleasure and smiled faintly when he saw what she was wearing…or barely wearing. But his expression turned grim again as she rested her head on his shoulder and put her arm across his chest. He looked at her in concern for a moment and played with a strand of her hair, before he sighed and looked up at the ceiling, letting her hair fall.

Effie reached up and kissed him on the cheek, and said happily, "I just saw their outfits for tomorrow. They look really good!"

"Do they?" Haymitch asked, not sounding very excited. "Let's just go to sleep," he added and turned them around so he was spooning her.

"I love you," she said softly.

"I love you too," he whispered.

She nuzzled into him but couldn't help crying a little. She really really hoped he wouldn't start drinking and abandon the kids again this year. When he realized she was crying he held her tighter.


	15. The 74th Hunger Games: The Interviews

**The 74****th**** Hunger Games: The Interviews**

Effie woke up slowly the next morning and blinked the sleep out of her eyes. She glanced at the alarm clock. 8:04 AM. This was the first day in about a week that she hadn't been awoken by an alarm, and she loved it. But it was far too early to be awake. She turned around in Haymitch's arms, not worried about rousing him since he was a heavy sleeper. She looked at him for a few seconds before closing her eyes again. She loved catching him when he was asleep. It was the only time he looked relatively peaceful, almost child-like. She smiled to herself and drifted back to sleep.

Haymitch woke up a few hours later. He'd been having a vivid nightmare about his Games and he gave a start when he felt someone beside him. He relaxed when he realized it was just Effie. He hardly ever caught her when she was asleep, since she usually woke up before him, but he loved it. She slept with a little frown on her face, almost a pout. She looked like she was concentrating on something. Always worrying, even when she was asleep. He watched her for a few minutes.

He loved seeing her when she first woke up, in those first ten or so minutes before she pulled herself together. She was always so put together, even when she wasn't in her Capitol attire. But when she first woke up, her hair was messy and her eyes puffy from sleep. She was at her most vulnerable and he knew he was the only one who ever saw her in that state.

When they first started sleeping together he'd been amazed that she trusted him enough to lose consciousness next to him. He hardly ever thought about it anymore, since he was so used to it, but with his nightmare fresh in his mind he considered it again. He had killed people, violently, yet she trusted him. Didn't she realize how easily he could slit her throat right now...

The thought entered Haymitch's mind out of nowhere and it frightened him so much that he shook Effie awake. She whined and squinted against the light seeping through the blinds.

"Good morning," he said hastily, hoping she didn't realize he'd woken her up. She whined again and hugged him closer, burying her face deeper into his chest.

Haymitch smiled and patted down the bump in her hair. "Your hair's puffy."

"Shut up," she said with a laugh that turned into a yawn and smoothed her hair down. She looked back at the clock. It was just past 10 o'clock and they had four hours before that had to start getting ready for the interviews. She yawned again and stretched, and Haymitch yawned too a few seconds later. "What do you wanna do today?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said and rolled onto his back. He put his hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. "Wasn't that the plan?"

"As per usual," she replied cheerfully.

He didn't say anything else but she was glad he seemed to be in a better mood than last night. And she knew there was one thing that would almost certainly improve it even more.

"Well, I'm going to shower…are you coming?" she asked and ran her fingers teasingly along the elastic of his boxers.

A smile broke across his lips and he nodded.

* * *

The interviews went spectacularly well. Miraculously, Caesar Flickerman made Katniss likeable. Effie could tell that Haymitch's mood was vastly improved. She panicked for a second when Caesar brought up his fall off the stage back in District 12, but thankfully Haymitch waved it off good-naturedly. They were both giddy through Peeta's interview, and when it finished the roar of the crowd was bigger for Peeta than it had been for any other tribute, and they knew about half of that was meant for Katniss as well.

Effie felt an even bigger elation than she'd felt after hearing Katniss's score. This was their year! She knew it. It took her everything she had not to grab Haymitch and kiss him right there in front of everybody.

They rode the elevator back up to their penthouse with the stylists and they were all hugging and shaking hands. Haymitch and Effie's hug was much more intimate and lasted much longer than everyone else's. As they stood beaming at each other, Cinna nudged Haymitch.

"Oh, go ahead," Cinna said with a laugh.

Haymitch looked at him in surprise and then back at Effie, who looked bewildered and as if she was about to say something. He kissed her passionately before she could say anything, and the stylists laughed beside them. They broke off the kiss at about the 10th floor and straightened themselves out while they laughed along with Portia and Cinna.

Their laughter cut off sharply as the elevator doors opened on the 12th floor. Peeta was sitting on the floor, surrounded by tiny shards of pottery. Katniss stood above him, looking more livid than any of them had ever seen her.

"What's going on?" Effie asked, with a note of hysteria in her voice. "Did you fall?" she turned to help Peeta up and Cinna quickly joined her. As she reached down to take the boy's hand she noticed it was bleeding heavily. Cinna helped her drag him up by his arms.

"After she shoved me," Peeta answered bitterly.

Haymitch turned on Katniss and Effie gasped as he pinned the girl against the wall. She would have been more furious at him had she not been so upset with Katniss herself for attacking Peeta right before the Games. She doubted his hands would heal properly by the next morning.

Effie was quieter than usual during dinner, but as they watched the replay of the interviews her excitement returned a little. And she couldn't help silently forgiving Haymitch (for the most part) as he talked enthusiastically about signing up sponsors.

She found her voice when it came time to bid the tributes good-bye. This was the last time she would see them before the Games began, and possibly the last time she would _ever_ see them. The thought brought a pang of sadness so great that she couldn't help the tears from coming to her eyes. She grasped both of their hands, wished them well, and kissed them both on the cheek. Before she hurried out of the room to collect herself, she managed to add something about maybe getting promoted to a better district, in case any unwelcome listeners happened to be paying attention.

* * *

Effie wiped furiously at her eyes as she walked briskly to her room. She tried to cheer herself up by remembering the interviews, the cheers for her district...well, _their_ district, but it so often felt like _her_ district too. She had nursed a fantasy for years about what it would be like if she really _were_ from District 12. If she and Haymitch were just a normal couple and could be together year-round. She'd never told him about it, since she figured he'd laugh at her wishful thinking, but she smiled faintly at the thought and felt an even stronger desire to see Katniss or Peeta win.

By the time she'd gotten most of the pins out of her wig, Haymitch strode into her room, holding a mug of something. She glanced at it, unable to keep the concern off her face.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Relax, it's for you," he said and placed the mug in front of her. She smiled as the smell of chocolate filled her nostrils. She picked up the mug and blew the steam away before taking a tentative sip. It was the perfect temperature and she savoured the taste as she swallowed.

"Thank you," she said seriously and smiled up at him.

Haymitch shrugged and started to undress. The excitement of the interviews had worn off for both of them as the prospect of watching more tributes die edged closer. Hopefully it would only be _one_ tribute this year though.

Effie was so grateful for his little act of kindness that she almost didn't want to say what she'd been holding in for hours. She didn't want to fight but she also needed to say it.

"I wish you hadn't shoved Katniss like that," she said nervously.

"How mad are you?" Haymitch asked with a sigh, not bothering to defend himself.

"Pretty mad," she replied. "But then I was also pretty mad at Katniss myself, so you're getting off easy tonight."

"Fine," he said with a frown, then added. "I didn't push her that hard though."

"But still, you shouldn't...Forget it. We have more important things to do than fight right now," Effie said resolutely.

"Agreed," Haymitch said. "It's going to be a _big, big, big day tomorrow_!" he mimicked her accent and she couldn't help but smile.


	16. The 74th Hunger Games: The Arena

**AN: **Sorry this chapter was so delayed! I've been experiencing some writer's block since I started writing about the actual Games. It's just so hard to take something that's entirely from Katniss's POV and doesn't actually involve Haymitch or Effie, and then describe their reactions to it. I also wanted to include some of what Peeta was doing, which was hard to figure out. But then there's a lot of stuff I left out, because I didn't want to just re-write the book. So, yeah, I've just kinda been stuck and therefore procrastinating. Anyway, hopefully this chapter is okay, and hopefully I'll get over this hump!

* * *

**The 74****th**** Hunger Games: The Arena**

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!" Claudius Templesmith's voice echoed through the Sponsor Viewing Centre. Cheers rose up all around them, but Effie and Haymitch stood silently, eyes fixed on the screen. They had arrived at the Centre an hour ago, and several sponsors had been waiting for them. They signed up almost 20 in that first hour, but now everyone's attention was on the arena.

As the seconds counted down, the cameras panned over the Cornucopia and the tribute's nervous faces. Effie made an excited noise when she saw a silver bow and sheath of arrows, but then immediately started to panic. Had Katniss seen them too? Would she go for them? The camera focused on the girl's face and she was squinting hard into the Cornucopia. Effie was sure she'd seen the bow. There were sparse pine trees behind her and Effie silently willed her to run for them and forget about the weapon. Beside Effie, Haymitch had noticed the exact same things. He clenched his fists and screamed instructions at Katniss in his head.

To their horror, when the gong rang out its final chime, Katniss shuffled on the spot for a second before lunging forward.

"No!" Effie couldn't hold back her shrill cry.

"Idiot," Haymitch moaned under his breath.

Katniss ran forward and picked up a sheet of plastic and a loaf of bread, and Effie grabbed Haymitch's arm. Nobody was watching them anyway; all eyes were focused on the screen. Katniss kept running and reached a bright orange backpack at the same time as a younger boy, and Effie's heart raced as they struggled over it. She relaxed for a second when the screen showed Peeta running for the woods, but the scene quickly shifted back to Katniss running. She had blood on her face and a knife flew towards her, but she managed to shield herself with her back-pack. The knife lodged in the pack and she broke through the trees and was running away from the Cornucopia.

Effie and Haymitch relaxed a little as they watched both of their tributes running through the woods. As the camera briefly showed clips of them, they could tell Katniss was the much stronger runner. They didn't see much more footage of their tributes since the screen was focused on the bloodbath, but they saw Peeta stop fairly quickly and hide in some tall bushes.

"What's he doing?" Effie whispered to Haymitch.

"No fucking idea," he answered roughly and shook his head in frustration.

As the bloodbath raged on, they got brief shots of Katniss still running, or jogging, or walking through the woods, and shots of Peeta hiding in those bushes. Once the bloodbath was finished and the cannon started blasting, another wave of sponsors signed up for District 12.

* * *

Later, Effie and Haymitch sat in District 12's private viewing room looking through their sponsor information, when the screen finally showed Peeta again. He'd gotten out of the bushes and was walking back towards the Cornucopia. Effie shouted out when she saw him approach the Career pack. She and Haymitch watched as a vicious fight ensued between Peeta and the boy from District 2, Cato. The other Careers cheered their friend on. After suffering a few minor injuries, and managing to inflict a few himself, Peeta convinced the Careers to take him on as an ally. He said he could help them find Katniss.

"So that was his plan all along? To join the Careers?" Effie asked in shock.

"It's news to me," Haymitch replied doubtfully.

"But…I think he still really likes her. I think he still wants to help her," Effie said confidently, really wanting to believe it.

"Me too," Haymitch replied. "I just hope he knows what he's doing." He noticed some of the sponsors making their way over to them. "And I hope we can convince _them_ he does too," he said and nodded to the window. Effie turned and saw several people walking over to them.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath, then turned her back on them again and plastered a giant fake grin on her face. "Big smiles," she said and Haymitch managed to fake one too. They entered the main room again and somehow convinced the skeptical sponsors that Peeta's joining the Careers wasn't a betrayal of Katniss, and that they'd known about his plan all along.

* * *

Effie and Haymitch left the Sponsor Viewing Centre earlier than most of the other escorts and mentors. With almost 50 sponsors signed up, Effie got the feeling they wouldn't need to return to the Centre this year. They could just watch the Games alone in the penthouse and Haymitch could telephone sponsors whenever they needed a gift. It felt amazing to not have to worry about getting sponsors anymore, but Effie's relief was still eclipsed by her concern for Peeta and Katniss.

As they were getting ready for bed that night, Katniss climbed into a tree and strapped herself in using her belt.

"And she laughed when I said she might need to hang from a tree!" Effie said in triumph.

"What?" Haymitch asked, confused.

"Never mind," Effie said dismissively, but smiled to herself, remembering what she'd said to Katniss and Peeta a few days ago.

* * *

Effie and Haymitch both had trouble falling asleep that night. For about the millionth time since becoming an escort, Effie wished there was some way to program the television to sound an alarm when one of their kids was in danger. Effie never liked to sleep unless both of the kids were sleeping, and sometimes she and Haymitch even slept in shifts, when there was a tribute Haymitch really cared about.

The first night of the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss was relatively safe in her tree, but Peeta was wandering through the woods with the Careers, who had decided to hunt. Effie and Haymitch eventually drifted off to sleep, since they were relatively sure that Peeta was safe with the pack. They were awoken just before dawn, by loud shouts and an agonized scream.

The woods were too dark and there was too much movement for them to tell who everyone was at first, but it was obvious the Career pack had found a victim. The victim's scream cut off suddenly and the other tributes broke into laughter.

"Twelve down and eleven to go!" a female voice shouted.

"Twelve's down!?" Effie said hysterically and held onto Haymitch tightly.

"I think she means twelve people," he replied, but looked worried too. Their fears were quickly quelled when the scene suddenly shifted to Katniss. She was awake, and from the terrified expression on her face it was obvious she was close enough to hear the commotion. The small map in the corner of the screen, which showed the location of all the tributes, confirmed this.

"She'll be fine, they won't see her," Haymitch said reassuringly. Effie nodded but her heart couldn't stop racing.

The Careers and Peeta started to move again, but Clove, the girl from District 2, stopped them after a few seconds. They were in a clearing about 10 yards from Katniss's tree, and now that they were standing still it was easy to see who was speaking by the light of their flashlights and torches. Effie inhaled quickly, fearing that Clove might have spotted Katniss.

"Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?" Clove asked the group.

"I'd say yes. Nothing to prevent them from going in immediately," Glimmer, the girl from District 1, agreed.

"Unless she isn't dead," the boy from District 1, Marvel, suggested.

"She's dead. I stuck her myself," Cato said defiantly.

"Then where's the cannon?" Clove challenged.

"Someone should go back. Make sure the job's done," Marvel stated.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want to have to track her down twice," the girl from District 4 reasoned.

"I said she's dead!" Cato shouted angrily.

An argument broke out until Peeta suddenly spoke up louder than the others. "We're wasting time! I'll go finish her and let's move on!"

Effie gasped in shock and looked over at Haymitch, who glared at the screen. She was about to say something, but at that moment the screen cut back to Katniss, who looked like she was about to shout out. She stopped herself by dramatically clasping both hands over her mouth. The jerky movement shifted her weight and she rolled sideways off her branch so she was facing the ground.

Effie gasped again but was relieved when the screen shifted back to the group, who apparently hadn't heard the rustling.

Peeta headed back towards the site where the girl had just been attacked, with an expression somewhere between dread and nausea. As he walked the short distance, the camera focused on the Careers again. Their whispered conversation inadvertently revealed some information to Katniss about why Peeta was with them.

The screen focused on Peeta again when he reached Cato's victim. From the light of his torch, Effie and Haymitch could see the girl had been stabbed in several places. She was unconscious but obviously still alive.

Peeta looked at her with pity and knelt over her body. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and hesitated for a moment before taking a knife off his belt and slitting her throat.

Effie made a small choking noise and Haymitch automatically hugged her closer. She'd seen a few of their tributes kill others before, but somehow she never imagined friendly, kind, good-natured Peeta doing it.

"It wasn't that bad. At least she was already unconscious," Haymitch said flatly. Effie turned her face away from the screen and even Haymitch averted his gaze.

"But…Peeta…" Effie said weakly.

"It was faster and probably less painful than letting her bleed out," Haymitch said.

"Yeah…" Effie agreed, but wasn't very comforted by the thought. They watched silently as Peeta rejoined the Careers, and they made their way through the woods again, getting farther and farther away from Katniss.

* * *

When dawn broke out a few hours later, Katniss slid expertly out of her tree. The camera zoomed in on her face, and as if she was expecting it, she smiled knowingly.

"Good, good," Haymitch muttered, but Effie was confused.

"What?" she asked groggily. They hadn't been able to fall back asleep after last night's events.

"She's acting like she's in on it. Like she knew about Peeta's plan to join the Careers all along!" he replied excitedly. "We need to go back to the Sponsor Centre today, to make sure they all know that."

"Oh," Effie said, a little disappointed.

"What? _You_ don't want to go?" Haymitch said with a laugh. "That's a change."

"Well, it's just that we didn't get much sleep…But yes, of course we'll go," she said with a yawn. "And look, now they know she can hunt!" she added as the screen showed Katniss finding a large rabbit in one of her snares. They watched as she cleaned and gutted it, and cleverly used the hot coals from the dead girl's fire to cook the meat. Yes, they would have a lot of new material to share with the sponsors.

"Should we get her some water?" Effie asked suddenly as she watched Katniss eating.

"Not yet," Haymitch said firmly. "She'll be fine for another day or two. She's heading towards it anyway," he said reasonably and Effie knew he was right. They had seen a small pond on the big map the Gamemakers liked to flash across the screen sometimes. "Get some sleep," Haymitch added gently. It was still early and the Sponsor Centre wouldn't be open for hours.

"What about you?" Effie asked.

"I'll be fine. I'll wake you up if anything important happens," he said, knowing that it wasn't likely to. Katniss was now walking through the woods, far away from any other tribute. Effie was usually the one who woke up early and let him sleep in, but now it was time for him to return the favour. She didn't need any more convincing and was so exhausted she fell asleep almost instantly.

Later, in the Sponsor Centre, it didn't take much to convince the sponsors that everything was going according to plan. They didn't tell them what the plan was of course, but for now the sponsors were satisfied. A few even offered to send gifts right away, but Haymitch refused. He knew it would be far more impressive if Katniss and Peeta survived as long as they could on their own, and there would be more money to spend if they needed anything expensive later.

**AN: So, what did you think? I was really stuck on the part where Peeta killed the girl; it honestly took me a few days to write that short little scene. Anyway, I've re-read and re-written this chapter so many times it seems to have lost all meaning. What did you guys think? :)  
**


	17. The 74th Hunger Games: The First Gift

**The 74****th**** Hunger Games: The First Gift**

Effie panicked more and more the longer Katniss went without water. Surprisingly, she didn't worry about Peeta as much as she thought she would. For now, he was doing just fine with the Career pack. They had all the food and supplies he needed, and they still wanted him alive. But Katniss was getting weaker and weaker the thirstier she got. Effie was worried, but Haymitch continued to assure her that they were doing the right thing.

By the third morning of the Games, Effie couldn't take it any longer. Katniss practically fell out of the tree she had been sleeping in, then leaned against the trunk stroking her dry tongue.

"She needs water, Haymitch," Effie said crossly. They were sitting in the living room of the penthouse, not bothering to go the Sponsor Viewing Centre this morning.

"She's almost found it," Haymitch answered firmly. He was leaning forward in his seat, squinting hard at the little map in the corner of the screen.

"Water," Katniss suddenly said in a weak voice. She was looking straight into then camera, and her expression was more demanding than pleading.

"See, she's held out long enough. She needs- " Effie started again frantically.

"Shh," Haymitch waved a dismissive hand at her and glared at the screen. Effie made an annoyed noise and crossed her arms in an exaggerated show of disapproval, but Haymitch didn't even notice. He was willing Katniss to keep going. He hoped she understood his silent message.

"Haymitch, she asked for -" Effie began again.

"It's only 2 miles away, she'll be there in a few hours," Haymitch insisted, but Effie wasn't sure if he was speaking to her or himself. They were both glued to the screen as Katniss started walking again, using a branch as a walking stick, and moved much more slowly than before. Effie turned and glared at Haymitch every once in a while; she really hoped he knew what he was doing.

As Katniss walked, she kept stumbling, but by late afternoon she finally reached a small pond. Effie let out a small cheer and Haymitch sighed in relief and reached out to grab Effie's hand. He looked at her and smiled and was about to say something when he heard a soft thud and snapped his eyes back to the screen. Katniss's walking stick had slid away from her and she was lying about five yards away from the pond. Haymitch and Effie laughed lightly, more at the girl's success rather than her comical predicament. Katniss looked like she was about to lose consciousness, and Effie was just about to pull her hand away from Haymitch's and start yelling at him, when suddenly the girl opened her eyes and started to crawl forward. When she reached the water she looked elated, but she sensibly reached for her backpack and found her bottle and iodine, and waited half an hour to drink the now clean water.

Over the next few hours, Katniss slowly drank two full bottles of water. She looked infinitely better and found another tree to sleep in for the night.

* * *

Effie was lying awake in bed when the Gamemakers activated the fire in the arena, and a wall of flames descended on the tributes hiding in the woods. Effie shook Haymitch awake roughly and they watched in horror as Katniss ran from the flames. Haymitch glared silently at the screen, willing her to keep running. Effie released quiet exclamations every time Katniss stumbled or when the flames managed to catch her clothes. When Katniss started coughing and vomiting, Effie couldn't help her tears from falling, and she screamed when a fireball hit her.

"The girl who was on fire," Haymitch said wryly, but Effie didn't catch his sarcastic tone.

"W-What?" she stammered.

"Bastards," Haymitch spat, and Effie didn't even worry about the Gamemakers overhearing him, because she was so worried about Katniss.

"Do-do you think she was burned badly?" Effie asked after a few minutes, as Katniss walked away from the flames.

"I don't know, we'll have to wait and see," Haymitch replied, and was cut off by Effie's excited shriek.

"Look, she's heading for water!" Effie pointed excitedly at the screen, and soon Katniss had walked into the pond and was bathing in it. After a little while, she examined her calf and the audience finally get a good look at it. Effie cringed at the sight. "We need to get her medicine," she turned immediately to Haymitch.

"Hang on, maybe she can find some herbs or something to put on it. She did say she was good with plants, and her mom -"

"Don't be stupid," Effie snapped back. "That's a serious burn and we have plenty of sponsors to spare! You know the Careers are nearby, and healing it with herbs could take forever, and -" Effie's voice rose in panic as Katniss tended to her wounds and got comfortable by the pool.

"Alright, alright," Haymitch raised his arms in defeat. "But we have to wait until it's safe. A shiny silver parachute floating down right now would -"

"Fine, but call the sponsors to get it ready," Effie demanded. Haymitch gave her a resigned look and picked up the phone to arrange for the gift, but watched the screen with as much intensity as before. During the fire, the screen had focused mainly on Katniss and some of the other tributes in the woods. But now that the fire was dying down and the smoke was clearing away, they saw the Career pack and Peeta walking into the woods, getting closer and closer to where Katniss was resting. Katniss spent most of the day by the pool, and by mid-afternoon she fell asleep. It didn't take long to arrange the medicine, but Haymitch insisted on delaying it until Katniss was in a more secluded spot or it got dark.

As evening fell, the Careers approached Katniss's resting spot, but thankfully she woke up with a start and started running again. The Careers weren't far behind her, but she climbed high into another tree and they were unable to follow her. They decided to leave her alone for the night and she settled into her sleeping bag again.

"We should send the medicine during the anthem," Haymitch said in the living room, where he and Effie were seated.

"Right, to cover up the beeping," she nodded, then felt stupid for pointing out the obvious, but Haymitch didn't seem to notice. He picked up the phone again to arrange the time of the drop. Neither of them had been getting much sleep lately. They'd both taken short naps since the fire started, but it was almost impossible to sleep while Katniss was still in so much danger. Effie thought this must be what it's like to have a baby, where you can only sleep while the baby sleeps. When she'd brought the comparison up to Haymitch he'd laughed it off.

"What's that?" Haymitch asked suddenly, snapping Effie out of her thoughts. The camera was focused on a dark tree, but then a small hand emerged from it and point up.

"I think…that must be a person," Effie replied, and they watched the camera pan up to where the hand was pointing, to a branch above Katniss's head. About fifteen feet above her, they could make out a tracker jacker nest in the fading light. "Oh no," Effie muttered, and then gasped when Katniss started to make her way up to the nest. Haymitch laughed triumphantly and she turned to him sharply.

"Don't you get it? She's going to drop it on them!" he exclaimed.

Effie gasped again, "But that's too dangerous. She could -"

"She could be dead tomorrow if the Careers get to her," Haymitch said sharply. Effie frowned but didn't reply.

The anthem started to play, and they watched, Effie panicked and Haymitch excited, as Katniss sawed at the branch. The audience caught a brief glance of the small parachute falling onto her sleeping bag, but Katniss was concentrating too hard to notice it. When the anthem stopped she stopped cutting, since the sound of her knife would no longer be masked by the blaring music. When she made her way back down to her sleeping bag, she found the small pot of ointment and opened it carefully. Relief flashed across her face the instant her burning fingertips touched the smooth lotion.

"Oh, Haymitch," Katniss whispered. "Thank you."

A genuine smile spread across Haymitch's face and Effie squeezed his arm. He looked at her with a slightly apologetic expression, "I'm sure that was meant for both of us."

"It doesn't matter," Effie waved it off with a happy laugh and they watched Katniss apply the medicine. Relief came over Katniss's features as she spread the ointment over her calf and hands, and then she quickly settled down to sleep.

**AN: Please review/favourite/follow :)**


End file.
